First Lady Melania Trump violated immigration laws by working as a model illegally when she first came to the U.S., reports the “I’ve Had It” and Associated Press.
Based on accounting ledgers, contracts, and internal documents from her former modeling agency, Metropolitan Models, Melania Trump was paid a total of $20,056 for 10 modeling jobs between September 10 and October 15, 1996. During this exact seven-week window, she was in the United States on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Under the terms of a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, individuals are permitted to look for work, but banned from performing paid labor in the country. Her official H-1B work visa was not issued until October 18, 1996.
(Sources: Associated Press, “I’ve Had It“)