Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and California Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra sparred over Melania Trump’s immigration status on “Fox News Sunday.”
“What we don’t yet know is one tax return from Donald Trump, we don’t yet know how his wife gained her immigration status –” Becerra, who serves as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said.
Gingrich interrupted: “That’s not true. That is not true.”
“It’s time for Donald Trump to start providing at least one iota of information on his tax returns, which he’s never agreed to do,” Becerra continued.
Gingrich took issue with Becerra questioning how Donald Trump’s wife gained her immigration status.
“First of all, we know that [Trump’s] wife had a green card before she met him. [Melania] came here legally –” he said before being interrupted by Becerra.
“How did she get the green card?” the California congressman asked.
“She applied for the green card. She didn’t know Donald Trump,” Gingrich retorted.
“This is the only immigrant in America you’re worried about,” he said. “I think it’s amazing the one person you decide to pick on happens to the the wife of Donald Trump.”
“It’s interesting that the immigrant basher is unwilling to explain how his wife, an immigrant, gained her status,” Becerra said.
Gingrich also rejected the label “immigrant basher” for the Republican nominee.
“[Trump’s] not an immigrant basher. His mother was a legal immigrant, his wife is a legal immigrant, he employs legal immigrants,” he said. “He just likes his immigrants to be legal.”
“I’m the son of immigrants, but what does concern me is when some guy goes out and bashes immigrants, not only undocumented, but legal immigrants and won’t explain house his wife gained her legal status,” Becerra said.