The Daily Show‘s Trevor Noah made the case Wednesday night that President Donald Trump is secretly trying to deport First Lady Melania Trump back to Slovenia.
As ESSENCE has previously reported, Melania Trump née Melanija Knavs, later changed to Melania Knauss, first came to the U.S. from Slovenia in 1996, first using a tourist visa, then a string of working visas until becoming a U.S. citizen in 2006.
Noah points out that while Trump’s immigration policies target Latinx and Haitian communities—as well as Black Mauritanians immigrants being “forced to return to a nation where they could face imprisonment, torture, slavery or death”—those policies should also impact Melania Trump.
The First Lady entered the United States and worked as a model on a tourist visa that prohibits employment; she also ensured that her parents, Amalija Knavs and Viktor Knavs, recently became U.S. citizens, even though Trump has loudly and consistently announced his opposition against “chain migration.”
Melania Trump Is An Immigrant Living Free of Charge In The U.S.
Noah also pointed out that Trump, and acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Ken Cuccinelli,—have touted Trump’s new immigration rule as being common sense policy. The rule privileges wealthier immigrants, while targeting for deportation those immigrants who may need financial assistance or other public services.
But as Noah points out: “Guess who lives in a free house provided by the United States? Melania muthaf—in’ Trump!”
Noah continued, “Donald, I see what you’re doing Donald. I see what you’re doing and I’m not going let it happen. In fact, we’re not going to let this thing happen. Daily Show fans, join me now. Help me get the word out by tweeting #DontDeportMelania. Because if this great immigrant is forced to leave this country, then the United States can never truly “be best.”
Since Donald Trump first announced his campaign it’s been clear that xenophobia and bigotry would be central to his administration. Noah’s use of subversive comedy to not only point out the dehumanization inherent in these polices, but also the absurdity and hypocrisy of Trump creating and/or advocating the expansion of them is a much watch.