‘You are Americans’: Melania tells new U.S. citizens from 25 countries how hard it was to become an American when she moved from Slovenia in 1996 and urges them to ‘stand their ground’ in moving naturalization ceremony

Melania Trump welcomed 25 new citizens on Friday in a rare public appearance, where she discussed the “harsh realities” migrants face on the path to becoming Americans, in words that seemed to refute Donald Trump's immigration philosophy.

She talked about how gaining citizenship gave a sense of pride and security about staying in the United States, while her husband said he would remove Palestinian supporters from universities and, as president, threatened to end green card visas.

The former first lady, wearing a black pantsuit, spoke at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington DC, the same agency that revealed her husband took classified documents with him when he left the White House, resulting in federal charges against him.

A naturalized citizen herself, she arrived in America in 1996 and became a citizen ten years later.

“You are Americans,” she told them, congratulating them on their new status.

Melania described her journey from childhood in Slovenia to life in the United States, along with the sense of pride she gained from becoming an American.

“My life turned into organizing paperwork,” she said of her citizenship process.

“Patience and tenacity became my constant companions,” she said. “For me, reaching the milestone marked the sunrise of certainty. In that exact moment, I forever threw away the burden associated with whether I could live in the United States. I hope you now have a similar sense of comfort.”

She said her citizenship gave her “an enormous sense of pride and belonging.”

She noted that her personal experience during the immigration system opened her eyes to the harsh realities of immigrants.

“My personal experience dealing with the challenges of the immigration process has opened my eyes to the harsh realities that people face, including you who are trying to become a U.S. citizen.”

She advised the newly sworn immigrants on what it means to be a good citizen.

“Becoming an American citizen comes with responsibility. It means actively participating in the democratic process and safeguarding our freedom. It also means setting a good example and contributing to our society. It is a life-changing experience that takes time, determination and sometimes even enormous strength. You are now part of a nation with a rich history of progress, innovation and resilience,” she said.

She concluded with 'be proud of yourself. Stand strong and embrace the opportunities ahead. You're American.'

The former first lady sat quietly in the front row as the new citizens took the oath of office before a federal judge. Behind her are the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence.

She spoke as her husband campaigned for a second term in the White House. Should he win, Donald Trump would implement an extreme extension of his first-term crackdown on immigration, the New York Times reported last month. severely restrict both legal and illegal immigration.

His plans include using Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out sweeping raids across the country, reverting to his ban on entry of people from certain Muslim-majority countries and reintroducing policies from the Covid-19 pandemic. era of refusing asylum applications.

Melania Trump was invited to speak by American archivist Colleen Shogan, who had met Trump when Shogan worked at the White House Historical Association during Melania Trump's tenure as first lady.

When introducing Trump, Shogan pointed out that she “knows what it's like at a naturalization ceremony.”

Melania Trump, born in 1970 in Slovenia, became an American citizen in 2006. She is only the country's second foreign-born first lady.

In her youth, Melania's father Viktor was a member of the Communist Party under Yugoslav dictator Marshal Tito, and when Melania grew up the family lived in a series of modest apartments. Melania's mother Amalija worked as a manager in a textile factory.

She started modeling in Europe and moved to New York City in 1996. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006 and subsequently sponsored her parents to become a U.S. citizen.

Friday's naturalization event comes nearly two years after the National Archives and Record Administration asked the Justice Department to investigate Donald Trump's handling of documents during his tenure in the White House.

The investigation led to an indictment against the former president, who has pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges. The trial in the case is expected to begin in May in Florida.

Donald Trump has promised a widespread expansion of hardline immigration policies if he is re-elected in 2024, which would limit both legal and illegal immigration.

During the Trump administration, Melania seemed disengaged from immigration issues — especially after her controversial visit to a migrant detention center at the southern border in 2018, when she delivered her now infamous “I really don't care, do I?” jacket.

Melania Trump has largely avoided the public eye since leaving Washington in January 2021. She has been featured in social media posts from guests who visited the Trump clubs at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida; and in Bedminster, New Jersey.

She made a rare appearance at Rossalyn Carter's funeral last month, along with former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.

Notably, Melania Trump has not stood by Donald Trump's side as he wages his many legal battles in New York, Georgia and federal courts.

And while Melania Trump has said she supports her husband's bid for a second term in the White House, she hasn't appeared at one of his campaign events in more than a year — not since he announced his 2024 bid for Mar. -a- Lago on November 15, 2022.

In September, Donald Trump suggested that his wife would soon join him on the road.

Trump suggested his wife could join him on the campaign trail in the near future.

“If necessary, but pretty quickly,” he said on NBC's Meet the Press. “She is a private person, a wonderful person, a very confident person and she loves our country very much. …And honestly, I like to keep her away from it. It's so dirty and so mean.'