In the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Donald Trump said, “A single immigrant can bring in unlimited numbers of distant relatives.”
Our ruling
Trump said “a single immigrant can bring in unlimited numbers of distant relatives.”
Trump’s team did not go on the record to identify who Trump considered to be “distant relatives,” but it appears he’s referring to anyone who is not a spouse or minor child.
Green card holders can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children, including unmarried sons and daughters over 21 years old. For U.S. citizens, the categories expand to include parents, married children, brothers and sisters.
No one can directly petition an aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, in-law relative or grandparent. But theoretically, one immigrant’s arrival in the United States could lead to the immigration of an aunt or uncle – if the first immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen and petitioned a parent, that parent could eventually become a U.S. citizen and petition his or her siblings.
Still, there are numerical limits on visas issued per year per family category. For some relatives, the wait period for a visa is over 13 years.
Trump’s statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.
We rate it Mostly False.
To read the full fact check, go to politifact.com.