Worsoff said that he also pitched this reality show during both previous Democratic Administrations.<\/p>\n
In an emailed statement to TIME on Saturday, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary who oversees the DHS’ public outreach, said: \u201cDHS receives hundreds of television show pitches a year, ranging from documentaries surrounding ICE and CBP border operations to white collar investigations by HSI,\u201d adding that each of these proposals goes through a vetting process. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we\u2019re happy to review out-of-the-box pitches. This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
McLaughlin also denied, as she had previously via social media<\/a>, that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was backing the show in any way, and said that Noem is \u201cnot even aware of the pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Worsoff claimed during his interview that the DHS appears to be \u201cseriously considering\u201d the show\u2014which he said would include a series of elimination challenges across America. Examples he gave of such challenges included a \u201cpizza-making challenge\u201d in New York, a \u201crocket-launching challenge\u201d in Florida, and a \u201cgold rush challenge\u201d in California. Per his vision, each episode would culminate in a town hall-esque style vote, one he said is akin to a \u201cpresidential election.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe people of Tennessee, let\u2019s say, will get to vote on which one of our future Americans they would most like to represent the state of Tennessee,\u201d Worsoff offered as an example. Then, a winner would be granted citizenship. The show currently has the working title “The American.”<\/p>\n The pitch comes at a time when President Donald Trump and his Administration have launched a crackdown on U.S. immigration\u2014embroiling themselves in legal battles to end birthright citizenship, upping mass deportation goals, and overhauling asylum access.<\/p>\n On Friday, the Supreme Court barred the Trump Administration<\/a> from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members to a prison in El Salvador. The Trump Administration had previously been utilizing the act to expedite deportations of Venezuelan nationals alleged to be in the Tren de Aragua gang, though the court argued that Trump only gave these migrants 24 hours to receive legal advice, and that they were \u201cdevoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal.\u201d The ruling extends the court\u2019s April emergency order barring Trump from using the wartime law to deport migrants held in a detention facility in Texas.<\/p>\n There have also been reports that the DHS has requested 20,000 National Guard members to assist with its deportation efforts. The New York Times reported<\/a> on Friday that the request came after Trump asked the DHS to raise their deportation force by that same amount, by pulling in officers from state or federal agencies.<\/p>\n Read More<\/strong>: What Is Habeas Corpus and How Is It Under Threat By the Trump Administration?<\/a><\/p>\n The stakes are high when it comes to the topic of immigration, Worsoff recognized in his interview, but he argued that his reality show idea is \u201cnot The Hunger Games.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s not some mean spirited thing that’s trying to deport people; it’s exactly the opposite of that,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m very fortunate and lucky and honored to be an American. And I want everybody to understand the process.\u201d<\/p>\n But the concept has already been widely criticised. Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat, called it \u201ca sick idea\u201d on MSNBC on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring this Trump Administration, it seems like every day we lose more and more of our humanity,\u201d Castro said<\/a>. \u201cThe idea that you would do a reality show and have people compete for citizenship, it\u2019s just sick, a sick idea.\u201d<\/p>\nExecutive Producers Rob Worsoff and Jack Osbourne speak onstage during the Alpha Dogs panel discussion at the Langham Hotel on Jan. 4, 2013, in Pasadena, Calif. Frederick M. Brown\u2014Getty Images<\/p>\n