Yes, you read that headline correctly.
Duck Dynasty producer Rob Worsoff is pitching a reality competition series in which immigrants would compete in a various activities to obtain U.S. citizenship. The show, tentatively called The American, is reportedly being “considered” by the Department of Homeland Security.
“The Department of Homeland Security receives hundreds of television show pitches a year, ranging from documentaries surrounding ICE and CBP border operation to white collar investigations by HSI,” Homeland Security’s Tricia McLaughlin told The Hollywood Reporter. “Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval.”
News of Worsoff’s pitch quickly circulated throughout social media, receiving instantaneous backlash from those who hopes he “never works in this business again.”
“With no due respect whatsoever, f—k you Rob Worsoff. May you never find work in this business again,” Spartacus Creator Steven S. DeKnight wrote.
Despite the pushback he’s received regarding the pitch, Worsoff continues to push back against criticism.
“It’s not mean-spirited. Instead, ‘The American’ is a celebration of what it means to be… well… American – At a time when our morale is at an all-time low,” Worsoff said.
Worsoff’s pitch emerges at a point in time in which immigration policy discourse is a focus for the Trump administration. Through May 12, 2025, NBC News reports nearly 50,000 migrants are in ICE detention. While the Trump administration has indicated that it will prioritize deporting those with a criminal history, ICE data shows that more than half of those currently in ICE detention have no criminal charges or convictions. In certain cases, U.S. citizens such as Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez have been detained in ICE raids and in others, lawyers say children with U.S. citizens have been sent out of the country with their deported parents.
