A political rally in Los Angeles took an unexpected turn when Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) delivered a speech that left even some of her allies in shock. What was expected to be a strong rebuke of Trump-era policies quickly escalated into a pointed and controversial remark aimed at former First Lady Melania Trump.
Speaking at a gathering opposing the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Waters took a swipe at former President Donald Trump’s recent push to challenge birthright citizenship. However, her critique extended beyond policy, taking a personal turn. “When he [Trump] talks about birthright, and he’s going to undo the fact that the Constitution allows those who are born here, even if the parents are undocumented, they have a right to stay in America,” Waters stated.
Then, in a moment that immediately grabbed headlines, she added, “If he wants to start looking so closely to find those who were born here and their parents were undocumented, maybe he ought to first look at Melania. We don’t know whether or not her parents were documented. And maybe we better just take a look.”
The audience erupted in cheers, but the statement sparked immediate controversy. While Waters likely intended her remark as a rhetorical counterpunch to Trump’s immigration policies, many critics saw it as a direct call to scrutinize Melania Trump’s legal status—even though the former First Lady became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006.
Melania Trump, originally from Novo Mesto, Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia), built a successful modeling career before moving to the U.S. in 1996. She later obtained an EB-1 visa, commonly known as the “Einstein Visa,” granted to individuals with extraordinary ability in their field. Her parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, eventually became U.S. citizens through family-based immigration, a process Trump himself sought to limit during his presidency.
The rally itself was organized as a protest against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency established under the Trump administration with the stated goal of cutting bureaucratic waste and improving efficiency in federal agencies. Waters, however, views DOGE as a tool to undermine social programs.
“I am not surprised to see reports that Trump, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, and the DOGE Ketamine Klan have plans to decimate the federal agency charged with creating affordable housing, ending homelessness, illegal discrimination, and strengthening communities,” Waters said last month.
The controversy surrounding Waters’ remarks comes as Trump doubles down on efforts to curb birthright citizenship. In January, he signed Executive Order 14160, which aims to prevent automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. if the mother was in the country illegally or on a temporary visa, and the father was neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. The order, which would only apply to births after February 19, 2024, has already been met with strong legal challenges. Federal judges across the country have blocked its implementation, arguing that it directly contradicts the 14th Amendment.
The Trump administration is currently appealing the rulings, with legal analysts expecting the case to reach the Supreme Court. As the legal battle unfolds, Waters’ remarks have added yet another layer of controversy to the heated debate surrounding immigration, citizenship, and the limits of executive power.