First lady Melania Trump’s parents are reportedly legal permanent residents who are close to obtaining U.S. citizenship, raising questions over whether they benefited from “chain migration,” the controversial immigration policy the Trump administration is seeking to curb.
Viktor and Amalija Knavs, originally from Slovenia, possess green cards, but their attorney Michael Wildes declined to tell the Washington Post Wednesday how they gained their immigration status.
“I can confirm that Mrs. Trump’s parents are both lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents,” Wildes told the Post. “The family, as they are not part of the administration, has asked that their privacy be respected so I will not comment further on this matter.”
Several immigration law experts told the newspaper the “logical,” “preferred way” the Knavses could have green cards is if their daughter sponsored them, considering both are retired and it is unlikely they would have qualified for refugee status or for another humanitarian program.
Rolling back chain migration via family reunification is part of the White House’s immigration framework announced in January.
The term is used to describe the process by which green card holders can apply to sponsor a non-nuclear family member to immigrate to the U.S. Under Trump’s proposal, this form of sponsorship could only be used for spouses and minor children, not adult parents and other relatives.
During the 2016 campaign, Melania Trump disclosed documents proving she naturalized as a citizen in 2006 following her wedding to President Trump and after living in the U.S. for five years.
She initially used a tourist visa and work permit in the 1990s to start her modeling career in the U.S. before self-sponsoring for a green card based on her “extraordinary ability” as a model in 2000.
The White House declined the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
