Is Melania Trump an “alien”? Indian-American lawyer says White House’s immigration crackdown crosses line

Indian-origin immigration lawyer Rahul Reddy objects to the official use of the word “alien” in U.S. parlance to refer to non-U.S. citizens, saying that while the term is legal, it is dehumanizing and should not be used by the White House.Reddy said the term in immigration law refers to anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, including green card holders who have paid taxes for 30 years. But when the White House says “aliens walk among us,” it becomes propaganda because they narrow the meaning to illegal immigrants.“These people followed the rules, waited in line, and earned their spot. When the government packages this neutral legal term with fear, secrecy, intrusion and danger, the message is unmistakable: People who live here legally are painted as something less than human,” Reddy said, asking whether Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, was also an alien.“Melania Trump was born in Slovenia, immigrated to the United States, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. President Trump’s first wife, Ivana, was born in Czechoslovakia and also became a naturalized citizen. His mother was born in Scotland. His grandfather was born in Germany. Immigration is not a distant issue in the president’s life. It is his own family story. If legal immigrants are outsiders who “don’t belong here,” then the president’s own family history is also an immigration story,” Reddy said.Noting the dangers posed by official use of the word, Reddy said the United States has every right to enforce its immigration laws but can do so without losing humanity.“The real danger with this language is that it doesn’t just target undocumented immigrants. It spreads. It breeds suspicion of anyone with an accent, a foreign name, an immigration background, or a foreign-born spouse. Legal permanent residents, visa holders, students, naturalized citizens, and their American children will all be caught in the crossfire. I’ve seen it in my practice: People with valid status, valid work permits, and valid futures in this country are made to feel like intruders by their own government. When the White House demonizes ‘aliens,’ it is law-abiding immigrant families who pay the price,” Reddy said.