Melania Trump’s Parents Become U.S. Citizens, Using ‘Chain Migration’ Trump called NOT ACCEPTABLE
President Donald Trump has repeatedly and forcefully denounced what he calls “chain migration,” in which adult American citizens can obtain residency for their relatives.
On Thursday August 9th, Melanie Trump’s Slovenian mother and father, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, became United States citizens in a private ceremony in Manhattan by taking advantage of that same family-based immigration program. When asked if the Knavses had obtained citizenship through “chain migration,” their lawyer, Michael Wildes, said, “I suppose.”
Melania Trump’s parents, Amalija and Viktor Knavs, flank their lawyer, Michael Wildes, heading to their naturalization ceremony in Manhattan on Thursday. Credit: Holly Pickett for The New York Times
The conservatives have been trying to end the family-based immigration category for years. Their arguments often cite incidents of terror suspects sponsoring family members to come to the US, such as the attempted suicide bombing in New York City in December.
Trump is dead-set on ending ‘chain migration’ in the immigration deal
Family-based petitions may soon end as US President Donald Trump said he wanted to rein in “chain migration,” the ability of legal immigrants to bring a wide-ranging number of family members into the country.
During the State of the Union Address to United States Congress in January 2018, Trump bared the four pillars of immigration reforms that he said should be supported by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives,” Trump said.
Under United States immigration laws, a US citizen can file an immigrant visa petition for spouse, children, parent or siblings. A permanent resident or a greencard holder on the other hand, can file for immigrant visa petition for spouse and or unmarried son or daughter.
Under Trump’s administration’s plan, he said they will now only focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children only. Breaking chain migration is under Trump’s fourth pillar.
