WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has said he wishes to grant `green cards`, to `foreign` graduates from US colleges. This is an apparent softening of his typically `hard-line` view on immigration, which emerging as a `key issue`, in the upcoming presidential election.

The Republican candidate made the remarks in a podcast published on Thursday. This is just days after President Joe Biden announced a citizenship pathway for immigrants married to US nationals, counterbalancing his recent crackdown on illegal border crossings.

`What I want to do and what I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a green card to be able to stay in this country` Trump told the `All-In` podcast.

A green card is the commonly used name for a `permanent resident card` in the United States and the first step towards citizenship.

Trump says this should include `anybody who graduates from a college,` including those who complete twoyear programs, known as junior colleges, and doctoral graduates.

Asked initially on the podcast if he would promise to help import the `best and the brightest around the world to America,` Trump replied: `I do promise.` He added: `I know of stories where people graduated from a top college, or from a college, and they desperately want to stay here and they can`t.-AFP