Melania Trump's parents used what the president calls "chain immigration"
'The Washington Post' reveals that the parents of the first lady obtained permanent residence by reason of kinship, a practice that Donald Trump wants to eliminate
Donald Trump's criticism of what he calls "chain immigration" took on new nuances this Wednesday. The Washington Post affirms that the parents of the first lady, Melania Trump, obtained permanent residence in the United States precisely through kinship and are in the process of obtaining US citizenship. The president has proposed that only spouses or minor children can enter the country by kinship.
The newspaper quotes Michael Wildes, a lawyer representing the first lady and her family and confirming that Melania Trump's parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, live in New York and have permanent residence status (green card). The lawyer refuses to confirm more details of the situation because it is a private matter of people who are not part of the Government.
The information claims that the parents have started the process to become United States citizens, citing an anonymous source who is aware of the petition.
There are only two ways that a person can immigrate directly to the United States with permanent residency status. The first is that it is sponsored by an employer, who must demonstrate to the US Department of the Interior that that person is essential to do a certain job and that they cannot find anyone of that profile within the country. The other way is for it to be claimed by someone who is already a permanent resident or citizen.
Although there is no confirmation of the details of how the Knavs entered the country, the possibility that they were claimed by an employer is remote. Viktor Knavs, 73, worked in Slovenia as a driver and car salesman. Amalija Knavs, 71, worked in a textile factory. They are both retired.
Immigration experts consulted by the Post say the only logical way the Knavs have moved to the United States as permanent residents is through their daughter, Melania Trump. The White House and a spokesperson for the first lady declined to comment.
Closing the doors to immigration, both legal and illegal, is at the center of Donald Trump's political discourse since he became president. Over the months, his proposals have ended up concentrating on three ideas: building a wall with Mexico, ending the visa lottery and ending “chain immigration”. The latter term is a derogatory way of referring to family reunification policies, which the president considers too generous.
In the United States, citizens and permanent residents can request resident status for their family members, but not unlimitedly as the president says. A permanent resident can only petition for her spouse and her unmarried children under 21 years of age. A US citizen can also petition her parents and married children. In no case can you ask uncles, nephews or in-laws. In addition, the waiting periods for these visas can be between 10 and 20 years.
Trump has specifically said that he wants to limit family reunification to spouses and minor children. Under these rules, Melania Trump would not have been able to have her parents live with her in New York.
The very story as an immigrant of Melania Trump, 47 years old and born in Slovenia, has always raised suspicions, fueled by press reports that say that during a trip as a tourist in 1995, she participated in a photo shoot as a model, which would mean a violation of immigration laws. The first lady has denied it through her lawyer. The official version is that the photo session was made in 1996, with a B1 visa, which allows working. Later, she had H1-B work visas between 1996 and 2001. In 2000, she applied for a green card for permanent residence, which she obtained the following year.
Melania Trump married Donald Trump in 2005. She obtained US citizenship the following year, after five years as a permanent resident. She is the first immigrant in history to hold the position of first lady.
