Melania Trump’s parents are about to become U.S. citizens

The first lady’s parents are about to become American citizens but the White House is remaining tight-lipped about how their green cards and new status has come about.

Melania Trump’s parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, have been regularly spotted in Washington since Donald Trump became President of the U.S. and are now classed as legal permanent residents - on the way to gaining citizenship.

Immigration attorney Michael Wildes, is representing the couple and told The Washington Post:

“I can confirm that Mrs. Trump’s parents are both lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents.

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“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.”

Immigration experts have revealed that the long-standing policy of allowing U.S. citizens to sponsor their parents or siblings for legal residency (family reunification process), is the most likely of all explanations.

Matthew Kolken, a partner at a New York immigration law firm, told The Washington Post that there are only two ways that Trump’s in-laws could gain green cards: sponsorship from their daughter or from an employer. He went on to state that employer sponsorship was unlikely as they would need to prove that no Americans could do the job. 

Another expert spoke out and said using the familial policy is, the only possible way to do it’, as reported by The Washington Post.

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However, it seems that following this method flies in the face of the strong stance the Trump administration has taken against ‘chain migration’, which Trump has sought to abolish as part of his immigration reform plan.

In a bid to do away with ‘chain migration’, Trump is pushing for the policy to be changed to include only spouses and minor children.