Fact check: New Reality TV Show That Sees immigrants Compete for US Citizenship Has Backing of Trump Administration: Report

1. Summary of the results

The original statement contains significant inaccuracies. While there is indeed a reality TV show pitch called "The American" under review by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there is no evidence of Trump administration backing ^[1]. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin has explicitly denied that Secretary Kristi Noem has backed or even reviewed the show concept ^{[2] [3]}. The show is currently in the "very beginning stages" of the DHS vetting process ^[4], which is a standard procedure for hundreds of TV show pitches received annually.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

• The show concept includes a 35-page proposal detailing immigrants participating in regional challenges with citizenship as the prize ^[5]
• Producer Rob Worsoff originally pitched this concept during the Obama administration and emphasizes it is meant to celebrate immigration, not be punitive ^{[2] [2]}
• There are conflicting accounts about Secretary Noem's involvement - while DHS officially denies her support, anonymous sources suggest she might actually support the project ^[6]
• This proposal comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration's historically aggressive immigration policies ^[6]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains several misleading elements:

• It presents the show as a confirmed project when it's merely under initial review ^[4]
• It falsely claims Trump administration backing when no such evidence exists ^[1]
• It omits crucial context about the show's intended positive portrayal of immigration ^[2]

Potential beneficiaries of this narrative:

• Anti-immigration groups could benefit from portraying immigration as a game show spectacle
• Political opponents could use this story to criticize the administration's immigration policies
• Media outlets benefit from the controversial nature of combining reality TV with citizenship

The story appears to be a case of premature reporting combined with unverified claims about administrative support, rather than an accurate representation of the current status of the TV show proposal.