Questions Swirl as Melania Trump’s Parents Obtain Green Cards
- 6 years ago
Questions Swirl as Melania Trump’s Parents Obtain Green Cards
WASHINGTON — The parents of the first lady, Melania Trump, have obtained lawful permanent residency in the United States, a lawyer for the couple confirmed Wednesday,
but it remains unclear how or when the couple received their green cards.
“It only becomes sensitive if her husband is taking a position against this.”
Both of Mrs. Trump’s parents have been seen at White House events, celebrated Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s Florida estate,
and reportedly spend much of their time with the Trump family.
“It would be odd if she sponsored her parents and didn’t want to talk about
that because it’s a fairly routine thing,” said Hiroshi Motomura, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who specializes in immigration law.
The lack of clarity about when and how Viktor and Amalija Knavs obtained their legal residencies raises questions about whether the couple
secured their residency through family-based immigration, which President Trump calls chain migration and has said he wants to restrict.
“In some ways, lawful permanent resident status is the best of all visas,” said Kevin R. Johnson, the
dean of the law school at the University of California, Davis, who has taught immigration law.
WASHINGTON — The parents of the first lady, Melania Trump, have obtained lawful permanent residency in the United States, a lawyer for the couple confirmed Wednesday,
but it remains unclear how or when the couple received their green cards.
“It only becomes sensitive if her husband is taking a position against this.”
Both of Mrs. Trump’s parents have been seen at White House events, celebrated Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s Florida estate,
and reportedly spend much of their time with the Trump family.
“It would be odd if she sponsored her parents and didn’t want to talk about
that because it’s a fairly routine thing,” said Hiroshi Motomura, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who specializes in immigration law.
The lack of clarity about when and how Viktor and Amalija Knavs obtained their legal residencies raises questions about whether the couple
secured their residency through family-based immigration, which President Trump calls chain migration and has said he wants to restrict.
“In some ways, lawful permanent resident status is the best of all visas,” said Kevin R. Johnson, the
dean of the law school at the University of California, Davis, who has taught immigration law.