(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)Nancy Pelosi brought up First Lady Melania Trump and her family’s status as immigrants, suggesting they might not have passed a merit-based test to gain access to this country. The Speaker was trying to be sarcastic claiming she didn’t know if “merit counted” when Melania’s family “came into the country.” Well, poor Nancy got destroyed. You’ll love this.
Nancy Pelosi was grasping at straws as she addressed her cronies at the Commonwealth Club of California on Wednesday. Pelosi invoked First Lady Melania Trump and her family when attacking the White House’s latest immigration proposal, suggesting the president was a hypocrite for wanting a merit-based immigration system.
“When the president says merit – turn it upside down. It means make America white again, have people leave, just go back and we’ll just let in people we like,” Pelosi said.
“I don’t know merit counted for when his wife’s family came into the country. I don’t know. Maybe it did. God bless them if it did. But he calls that chain migration, which he wants to get rid of — family unification, instead call it merit,” the California Democrat added.
Melania’s parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, were originally from Slovenia before moving to their current home in Maryland. They officially became American citizens in August 2018, taking their oath of citizenship at a ceremony in New York City.
Foreign nationals who become permanent residents or American citizens have the ability to sponsor their immediate relatives to join them in the United States, a process that is typically referred to as “chain migration.” President Donald Trump, who has made immigration reform a hallmark of this administration, has constantly railed against the practice.
Chain migration over-burdens our resources with multiple family members having no skills, no jobs, and they end up on welfare. Merit-based systems have been around for years and are currently the policy in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
So much for Nancy Pelosi’s big lie that it’s all about making America “white again.” If she’s suggesting that people of color are without merit, perhaps she is the racist.
The president unveiled his long-awaited immigration proposal earlier in May. A major component of the plan includes shifting the chain migration system to a more merit-based system. The administration would prioritize high-skilled immigrants, offering more visas to those who are better educated, financially self-sufficient, younger and have job offers waiting for them in the country.
“Random selection is contrary to American values and blocks out many qualified potential immigrants from around the world,” Trump said as he announced his plan. “This will bring us in line with other countries and make us globally competitive.”
Pelosi was not the only Democrat to suggest Trump’s immigration plan was racist.
“A ‘merit-based’ immigration policy is fueled toward the Latino community. Our immigration policies shouldn’t be based on discrimination, fear, or bigotry. We should welcome immigrants to our country and offer a simple pathway to citizenship,” Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
The Democratic congresswoman’s statement attracted controversy for suggesting that Latinos did not have the skills to compete in a merit-based immigration system.
Americans let the 79-year-old Speaker know they aren’t buying her racist trope when it comes to Trump’s immigration plan.
“Demon-acrat Flunky @SpeakerPelosi just can’t think, talk, & make her faces at the same time. Melania came here legally as her parents did. They also had held good jobs. Brings Up Melania When Criticizing Trump’s Merit-Based Immigration Plan,” tweeted “Silver Belle.”
Demon-acrat Flunky @SpeakerPelosi just can't think, talk, & make her faces at the same time. Melania came here legally as her parents did. They also had held good jobs.
Brings Up Melania When Criticizing Trump’s Merit-Based Immigration Plan https://t.co/85PUwB1sm7 via @TPInsidr— Silver Belle ❤️ ✝️ 🇺🇸 🦅🔔 🥁 #MAGA #PROLIFE (@SilverBelle50) May 30, 2019
“MELANIA SPEAKS 5 LANGUAGES. PUKELOSI SPEAKES ONE VERY POORLY. MELANIA’S JOB (MODELING) REQUIRED HER TO GO TO MANY COUNTRIES. WHICH ONE BETTER QUALIFIES THE B*TCH OR THE BEAUTY?” tweeted Gloria Pennigton.
https://t.co/WYKUJYubuA via @TPInsidr MELANIA SPEAKS 5 LANGUAGES. PUKELOSI SPEAKES ONE VERY POORLY. MELANIA'S JOB (MODELING) REQUIRED HER TO GO TO MANY COUNTRIES. WHICH ONE BETTER QUALIFIES THE BITCH OR THE BEAUTY?
— Gloria Pennington (@ladyinventor1) May 30, 2019
“Merit means: being a contributing part of society not just a cog in someone’s profit margin and a strain on public resources. Many different levels to that,” tweeted Judy Livingston.
Merit means: being a contributing part of society not just a cog in someone's profit margin and a strain on public resources. Many different levels to that. https://t.co/C7X4J0KmXP
— Judy Livingston (@judydoestweets) May 30, 2019
A merit-based immigration system was American policy during the height of the European migration to the United States between 1880-1920’s. All boats stopped at Ellis Island where potential immigrants went through a series of tests to ensure they could make in America. They all had to have an American sponsor in the U.S.
So Nancy Pelosi knows this isn’t about race. This is about putting America first. It’s to make sure immigrants are properly vetted so they can have the best chance possible to become active contributing American citizens someday. And anyone being honest knows it’s the far superior way to protect the migrants and our American way of life.
