Fact check: Did Melania Trump ever work in the US without proper authorization?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, yes, Melania Trump did work in the US without proper authorization. The evidence shows that she earned $20,056 for 10 modeling jobs before she had legal permission to work in the country ^[1]. This occurred after she entered the US on a tourist visa in 1996, when she accepted modeling work before obtaining proper work authorization ^[2].

The analyses reveal that Melania Trump's immigration history includes several questionable elements:

• She worked illegally in the US before receiving work authorization ^{[1] [2]}
• There are questions about her claim to have begun work on an H-1B visa in October 1996 ^[2]
• Her later EB-1 visa (often called the "Einstein visa") has been questioned, with sources suggesting her modeling career may not have been sufficient to qualify for a visa typically reserved for individuals with 'extraordinary ability' ^{[3] [4]}

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual elements not addressed in the original question:

• The broader political implications: There is significant controversy surrounding the inconsistency between Trump's strict immigration policies and his own family's immigration history, with petitions calling for Melania Trump's deportation citing this hypocrisy ^{[5] [6]}
• Potential visa fraud allegations: Beyond just working without authorization, the analyses suggest potential visa fraud in Melania Trump's immigration process ^[2]
• The EB-1 visa controversy: The question of unauthorized work is compounded by questions about how she later obtained her EB-1 visa, with sources questioning whether her qualifications met the "extraordinary ability" standard ^{[3] [4]}
• Political motivations: Those who benefit from highlighting this issue include political opponents of Donald Trump who can use this information to point out hypocrisy in immigration enforcement policies, while Trump supporters would benefit from minimizing or dismissing these findings

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is relatively neutral and factual, simply asking whether Melania Trump worked without authorization. However, it lacks important context:

• The question doesn't acknowledge that this information comes from established AP reporting that found documented evidence of unauthorized work ^{[1] [7]}
• It doesn't mention the broader pattern of potential immigration violations beyond just unauthorized work, including possible visa fraud ^[2]
• The framing as a simple yes/no question understates the complexity of the immigration violations involved and the political significance of these findings given the Trump administration's immigration policies ^{[5] [6]}

The analyses consistently point to documented evidence of unauthorized work, making this a matter of established fact rather than allegation or speculation.