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Melania’s Parents Would Have Been BLOCKED From Moving to the U.S. Under Her Husband’s Plan

On Thursday Donald Trump announced a new immigration policy [1] which will give greater priority to highly skilled migrants. Correspondingly the number of immigrants allowed in for family reasons will fall.

Melania Trump’s parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, moved to America as some point after their daughter married Trump in 1996.

By the end of 2007 Melania’s father was listed as living at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private Florida club.

It is widely believed they came over via a family unification process, as both were retired.

On Thursday Trump announced plans to give 57 percent of green cards, which allow permanent residence, to highly skilled workers with only a third going to family members.

Currently the majority are issued because of family ties, with just 12 percent going to top skilled immigrants.

However Trump has vowed to protect green cards for the spouses and children of US nationals.

Speaking from the White House he said: “The loved ones you choose to build a life with, we prioritize.

“And we have to do that. They go right to the front of the line.

“Right to the front of the line where they should be.”

It’s been suggested that this would leave very few, if any, free cards for parents.

Julia Gelatte of the Migration Policy Institute commented: “When you play out the numbers, in order to get there, you’d have to cut most categories of family sponsorship.”

Melania’s parents became American citizens last year.

David Leopold, formerly president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, claimed Trump is shutting down a route that had benefitted him personally.

He said: “That is the consistent theme of this administration.

“Melania has benefited from the immigration system; his in-laws are here because of the immigration system.

“For them to talk about the immigration system is an absolute joke and it’s shameful.”