First lady Melania Trump’s parents are about to experience the American Dream and become citizens – although the White House won’t comment on how they got their status.
The most likely scenario is that Viktor and Amalija Knavs, both retired Slovenians, got green cards as the parents of a U.S. citizen – an experience that would not be atypical.
But such a move would appear to be an example of the ‘chain migration’ thatPresident Trump has blasted and his immigration seeks to break up as an official ‘pillar’ of his policy platform.
PAPERS IN ORDER: Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs, parents of U.S. first lady Melania Trump, arrive at the White House with the first family June 11, 2017 in Washington, DC
What is now confirmed is that pair have become permanent U.S. residents – after having been spotted repeatedly at Mar-a-lago, and having been written about as living at Trump Tower when Melania was living there at the start of the administration.
‘I can confirm that Mrs. Trump’s parents are both lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents,’ their lawyer, Michael Wildes, told the Washington 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.’
Wildes also represents Melania Trump, and issued a letter during the campaign that outlined her own immigration status after it came under question following the publication of nude photos that for a time made it appear is if she might have done work before she had a proper visa.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE: Viktor and Amalija Knavs, the parents of US First Lady Melania Trump, walk across the South Lawn upon return to the White House on June 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump returned to the White House after spending the weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat with his family
First lady Melania Trump stands on stage during the National African American History Month reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018
OPEN DOOR POLICY: First lady Trump’s Dad, Viktor Knavs, in the Oval Office prior to United States President Trump, accompanied by first lady Trump and son Barron, departing the White House in Washington, DC for a weekend in Westminster, NJ
Viktor and Amalija Knavs, the parents of US First Lady Melania Trump, make their way to a vehicle upon arrival at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida on March 17, 2017
Sevnica, Slovenia, 24 July, 2015 – A view from the 14th century castle over the old town of Sevnica and the Sava river, home town of Melania Knavs Trump, wife of US presidential candidate Donald Trump
Amalija Knavs, Melania Trump and Donald Trump attend Center For Communication Awards on October 31, 2002 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City
The photographer who took them ultimately said he had been wrong on the date, and the work conformed with her status.
A person knowledgable about their filings said the couple were awaiting their naturalization ceremony, where they will have to swear allegiance to the country and answer questions about American history and government.
Trump has linked providing citizenship status to ‘DREAMers’ who came here illegally as children to changes in family migration as well as the diversity visa lottery.
A New York immigration lawyer told the paper the other possibility is that Melania’s parents got employer-sponsored visas – which seems unlikely since they are retired and don’t appear to work.
To become citizens, the pair must swear allegiance to the nation that became their daughter’s home after she started a New York modeling career and ultimately married the man who became president of the United States.
The White House last week refused to comment on the Knavses case.
When DailyMail.com asked a question about the first lady’s parents at in immigration briefing, an official refused to divulge the nature of their immigration status or respond directly to whether it could be construed as chain migration.
‘I’m not going to get into specific cases. I doubt your question was well-intentioned,’ said the official.
The White House didn’t respond to the Post’s request for comment on the latest revelations.
THIS WOULD MAKE IT OFFICIAL: The Knavs still await a formal naturalization ceremony. Here President Barack Obama listens as new citizens speak the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony in the East Room of the White House on July 4, 2014 in Washington, DC. A total of 25 military members, veterans and their spouses became the newest US citizens
President Barack Obama speaks during a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens at the National Archives December 15, 2015 in Washington, DC. Obama emphasized the role of Immigrants and refugees in renewing America
After a report last week on their status, Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for the first lady, said: ‘I don’t comment on her parents, as they live private lives and are not part of the administration.’
Relatives of citizens can get legal permanent status on an IR-5 visa. Relative visas go to close family members, and can be applied to spouses of a citizen, unmarried children, adopted orphans, and parents. More distant family members can also get visas under numerical limits set in law.
The administration’s immigration proposal states that it wants to ‘protect the nuclear family by emphasizing close familial relationships.’ It therefore limits family sponsorships to spouses and minor children, and states that it is ‘ending extended-family chain migration,’ a priority of Trump’s.
Viktor Knavs is a former communist party member in the former Yugoslavia, and Amilija worked in a textile factory.
Their daughter, the former Melania Knauss, came here as a model, and got her green card in 2001, the letter released by Wildes said during the campaign.
She first came here on a tourist visa in 1996.