Immigration lawyer raises questions about Melania Trump’s past

An immigration lawyer revealed that Melania Trump received a green card for marriage in 2001, four years before she married Donald Trump, Univision reported Friday night.

{mosads}She has previously said that Trump is her first husband.

But immigration attorney Michael Wildes, who worked for the Trump Organization, told Univision that the GOP nominee’s wife obtained the green card in 2001 “based on marriage,” though she did not marry Trump until January 2005. 

“Ms. Trump received citizenship in 2006 and prior to that she had a green card based on marriage,” Wildes said. “Before that, she had a work visa and was in full compliance on her visas and never disrespected any of them. That has been made clear to me.”

When asked to explain the discrepancy, Wildes told Univision he would seek clarification, but later emailed to say, “I didn’t hear back, sorry.”

Politico reporter Ben Schreckinger said the Donald Trump campaign reacted with a statement that said: “Melania was not married prior to her marriage to Mr. Trump in 2005.”

Schreckinger also tweeted more details from Wilders, a few hours after Univision story was first published.

Attorney quoted by Univision denies Melania marriage in email to me: “I do not know how or when she received her Green Card… 1/2

— Ben Schreckinger (@SchreckReports) August 6, 2016

… I told he reporter it predated my representation and he’d have to get the information elsewhere.” Michael Wildes https://t.co/ocFIl5dX4Q

— Ben Schreckinger (@SchreckReports) August 6, 2016

Trump has made immigration a main focus of his campaign, increasing the scrutiny on his wife’s past. 

Wildes said he acted “on behalf of Trump models” and handled obtaining visas and green cards for the Miss Universe parent when it was under Trump’s ownership. 

He told Univision he was authorized by the Trump Organization “to speak on the matters concerning Melania,” but said he couldn’t comment on how Melania Trump became a permanent U.S. resident.

“Ms. Trump received citizenship in 2006 and prior to that she had a green card based on marriage. Before that, she had a work visa and was in full compliance on her visas and never disrespected any of them. That has been made clear to me.”

Updated 9:06 p.m.