Melania Trump Could Have Been Banned From The US Under Donald Trump’s New Rules
If Donald Trump had been president in the 1990s, Melania Trump would have been deported from the U.S. for accepting paid modeling jobs while on a tourist visa according to reports.
In 1996, Trump, born as Melania Knauss, traveled to the U.S. as a visitor. As per papers obtained by the Associated Press, she received more than $20,000 for 10 modeling jobs, and it was only seven weeks after her arrival that she managed to acquire legal permission to work in the U.S.
Five years later, she applied for a green card and eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen come 2006. Under President Trump’s executive order issued last month, foreign nationals who have “engaged in fraud or willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter or application before a government agency” are to be deported.
Immigration lawyer Hasan Shafiqullah told Slate that Trump violated her visa and did not disclose this when she applied for the residency permit. If her husband’s order was in effect in the 1990s, she could have faced deportation.
“If the current executive order on interior enforcement and the related Homeland Security memoranda on interior enforcement had been in effect at that time [1996], then she would have certainly been an enforcement priority.”
While some brought up the possibility of her citizenship being revoked because of the misrepresentation, this has only happened in the past in extreme cases such as those involving terrorists.
President Trump has tasked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to actively search for immigrants who are violating the country’s rules. He argues that “they have to go” if they do not adhere to the U.S. law in any way.
Trump’s lawyer, Michael J. Wildes, previously claimed that documents AP obtained were not verified.
Meanwhile, despite the issues surrounding her, Trump said in a recent gathering in Florida that she will remain truthful about herself.
“I will always stay true to myself and be truthful to you no matter what the opposition is saying about me.”
Furthermore, the first lady vowed to work on causes close to her heart.
“I will act in the best interest of all of you. I am committed to creating and supporting initiatives dear to my heart, which will have an impact on women and children all around the world.”
She has faced criticism for choosing to stay in New York amidst her husband’s mounting White House duties. While her reason is to let Barron finish the school year at the Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, her stylist and friend Phillip Bloch claimed she’s trying to stay “hidden” in the Trump Tower because of the media scrutiny.
In a recent press conference, President Trump defended his wife, who’s being “unfairly maligned” by the press.
“I have known her for a long time, the things they say are so unfair,” he said via CNN.
I am deeply honored to serve this wonderful country as First Lady! pic.twitter.com/tRTRVkDG6z
— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) January 21, 2017
He praised her abilities and believes “she is going to be a fantastic first lady” who will represent key issues about women. He further said that his daughter Ivanka will help her stepmother handle her new responsibilities.
“Helping her and working with her will be Ivanka who is a fabulous person, and a fabulous, fabulous woman. They aren’t doing this for money, they aren’t doing this for pay, they are doing this because they feel it, both of them.”
The presidential wife has an ongoing defamation lawsuit against the Daily Mail’s parent company for allowing the publication of an article accusing her of being a former “elite escort.”
Webster Tarpley, the political blogger who penned the article, issued an apology and said his claims didn’t have any factual basis. He similarly agreed to pay Trump’s camp a “substantial amount.”
[Featured Image by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
