Donald Trump's parents-in-law obtain US citizenship
Donald Trump's father-in-law are officially US citizens, after they obtained their nationality thanks to the so-called "chain migration" against which President Trump has pronounced as a subterfuge for the massive entry of people in the North American country. "Chain migration must end now. Some people come in and bring their whole family with them. You cannot accept! Trump proclaimed on Twitter in November 2017, as part of his heated speeches against the arrival of foreigners in the United States. Víctor and Amalija Knavs, originally from Slovenia, took an oath to obtain citizenship at a private ceremony in New York. The immigration status of the parents of the first American lady had become relevant in February when their lawyer confirmed that they had permanent legal residence (green card).
But Wildes did not specify how they had obtained it or the time of obtaining the green cards. The couple's immigration lawyer, Michael Wildes, was asked by The New York Times if they had obtained citizenship for the criticized "chain migration" by his son-in-law and Wildes responded with a "I suppose." The privacy laws of the United States prevent knowing the details of the case if they are not revealed by the persons directly interested. Wilds, however, has tried to downplay the issue and has asked not to criticize "a cornerstone of the migration process in regard to family reunification." In this regard, he explained that Melania Trump's parents first received the "green card" that authorized their residence - saved by their daughter - and then began the process to achieve citizenship. "Everything went well and he feels very grateful for this wonderful day for his family," said his lawyer, Michael Wildes, to the network 'CNN'. Paradoxically, the path by which the Knavs have achieved residency is the one that President Trump criticizes and wants to restrict. US legislation allows certain family members of US citizens to obtain their own "green card" for their kinship.
One of the categories contemplated is for foreign parents of a US citizen who has reached the age of 21, as is the case of Melania Trump.The spokeswoman for the first lady, Stephanie Grisham, has refused to comment on the case when dealing with people outside the Administration and has sent any questions on immigration issues to the White House, which for now has chosen to remain silent. Melania Trump entered the United States in 2001 thanks to a special Einstein visa for "people with extraordinary ability" for her work as a model. She obtained the nationality in 2006, the year after marrying who is now president of the United States. There are other ways to obtain American citizenship, such as an employer having sponsored the visa and another that has arrived as political refugees or covered by other humanitarian programs. But those cases seem less likely. Viktor and Amalija Knavs, 73 and 71 years old respectively, are retired according to US media and were never informed that they needed refuge. If the immigration policies raised by Trump were in force, their in-laws would not have been able to obtain US citizenship.
Ironically, as some US media explain, Trump and his allies in Congress have struggled to drastically cut back on this option of family reunification, including measures such as lowering the threshold for boys and girls aged 21 to 18. And it is that the current president advocates a system based on merit and, above all, associating arrivals with jobs. This "double standard" has not gone unnoticed in the ranks of Democrats and 'anti-Trumps' in general, who have charged against the president in social networks. "Melania Trump's parents become US citizens thanks to a process that Trump has vigorously denounced," the New York Daily News has tweeted.
The CBS network took the opportunity to remember that Melania Trump made "10 jobs as a model when she arrived in the US before having legal permission to work in the country" and, they say, "she obtained a visa in October 1996, two months after her arrival in the country. " The possession of the so-called 'green card', also known as the Permanent Resident Card, which paves the way for citizenship, proves that the holder has official permission to reside and work in the US. The document is issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The price of the card, which is obtained by filling out the Form I-485 ("Application to register permanent residence or adjust the state"), and its presentation amounts to $ 985, or $ 1,070 if biometric data are required. The 'green card' is usually the first step to achieve citizenship. The benefits of US citizens are numerous, including the possibility of sponsoring relatives and relatives, so that they can immigrate to the United States. “In addition, citizens "can not be deported or denied entry to the United States" and may "receive additional assistance and services from the US Consulates and Immigrants," states the official US Immigration Support website.