First Lady Melania Trump’s parents have been sworn in as U.S. citizens.
Viktor Knavs, 74, and Amalija Knavs, 73, took the oath of citizenship in New York City, entering and exiting the building alongside Homeland Security officials, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
The Slovenian couple had been living in the U.S. with green cards, though it’s not clear how exactly they received their permanent status.
Most immigrants get legal status through family sponsorship, a process President Trump has harshly criticized as “chain migration.”
According to AP, the Knavs raised Melania in a rural, industrial town in Slovenia while it was under communist rule. Viktor was a car dealer, while Amalija worked in a textile factory.
The Knavs, now retired, are often seen with the Trump family at Mar-a-Lago and in Washington.
Melania Trump was born as Melanija, but changed her name to Melania Knauss when she began her modeling career. She moved to New York in 1996, reports USA Today, and got her U.S. citizenship in 2006, shortly after marrying Donald Trump.
