Melania Trump’s Visa Past Resurfaces as Donald Trump Pushes Mass Deportations

As Donald Trump intensifies his hardline immigration agenda, renewed scrutiny is falling on the visa history of someone very close to him — his wife, former First Lady Melania Trump.

Trump’s recent threats to deport high-profile individuals, including New York mayoral candidate Schukri Abdirahman and former ally Elon Musk, have reignited debate around Melania’s own path to U.S. citizenship. Social media erupted this week after Melania, 55, visited a detention center in Tucson, Arizona, to support ICE efforts. Critics quickly pointed out the irony.

Melania, a native of Slovenia, entered the U.S. in 1996 on a B-1/B-2 tourist visa — which prohibits paid work. According to a 2016 Associated Press investigation, she earned $20,056 during that period as a model, violating visa conditions. She later transitioned to an H-1B visa and ultimately became a citizen in 2006.

Now, amid Trump’s pledge to deport millions and build a Florida facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” many are calling out what they see as hypocrisy. One viral post read: “Melania broke immigration law. Now she’s applauding ICE?” Another simply asked: “Why hasn’t she been deported?”

As Trump pushes forward, some are questioning if his policies might come uncomfortably close to home.