Melania Trump Has Her EB-1 Green Card ‘Einstein Visa’ Questioned As She Tweets About Women’s History Month
First Lady Melania Trump’s Twitter account published a tweet about Women’s History Month on Thursday, March 1, but the Washington Post was busy publishing an article uncovering the publication’s research into the history of how Melania, as a Slovenian model, was able to obtain an EB-1 green card. Reserved for people with extraordinary abilities, the aptly named “Einstein visa” is one not handed out too often to Slovenians.
Melania Knauss started dating Donald Trump in 1998, and by March 2001, Melania received a green card granted through the EB-1 program, which would lead to her legal U.S. residency. The petition to become a U.S. citizen was based on Melania’s “extraordinary ability” to model, with her curriculum vitae at point including a Sports Illustrated string bikini photo spread, European runway fashion shows, and a Times Square billboard.
The Einstein visa is usually granted to folks like Olympic athletes or others who have demonstrated outstanding proclivities. The same year that Melania became a U.S. resident, a mere five individuals hailing from Slovenia got green cards through the EB-1 program. Such a score was what helped Melania’s mother and father, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, get on the path to become U.S. citizens.
Although Melania’s mother and father are legal U.S. residents, the White House has not explained if they benefited from the “chain migration” that President Trump derides, as reported by the Inquisitr.
Questions linger about how Melania Trump, a Slovenian model, scored "the Einstein visa" https://t.co/n6ixwhbRYq
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 1, 2018
Melania’s own immigration issues are of renewed interest in the midst of President Trump’s tweets that claim chain migration must end, with Trump calling the process unacceptable. Melania’s lawyer, Michael Wildes, would not tell the Washington Post whether or not Melania was a sponsor for her parents for green cards, and while claiming Melania was eligible under the “Einstein visa” due to her abilities, Wildes also cited Melania’s privacy as a reason not to reveal more details to the U.S. constituency about the first lady.
Debates about whether or not Melania should have qualified for the elite EB-1 program due to her modeling career are now breaking out on social media as the latest information about Melania’s immigration past has been revealed. The EB-1 visa’s requirements are being called inconsistent with Melania’s known work history at the time, with more information about what Melania submitted in order to obtain the “extraordinary ability” visa desired by the general public.
March starts #WomensHistoryMonth, a time to celebrate the ways American women have historically changed & continue to shape our society. As we also recognize #RedCrossMonth, we see the result of one woman’s call to action through the humanitarian relief efforts of the @Redcross
— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) March 1, 2018
