A California congressman took a jab at First Lady Melania Trump after Donald Trump defended his administration’s aggressive immigration policies during a recent interview on 60 Minutes. Representative Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat representing California’s 34th District, posted a sharp response on X following Trump’s remarks.
“Haven’t gone far enough?? Any further and ICE will be deporting Melania…” Gomez wrote, referencing Trump’s claim that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had not been tough enough on undocumented immigrants, The Daily Beast reports Monday.
The congressman’s comment came after Trump suggested that his immigration policies could have been harsher, despite widespread criticism of ICE’s methods during his presidency. Gomez, whose Los Angeles district has been heavily affected by ICE operations, has long been a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration stance.
During the 60 Minutes interview, host Norah O’Donnell pressed Trump about the controversial raids and the use of force by immigration officers. Americans have been watching videos of ICE tackling a young mother, tear gas being used in a Chicago residential neighborhood, and the smashing of car windows. Have some of these raids gone too far?” she asked.
Trump defended the actions, replying, “I think they haven’t gone far enough because we’ve been held back by the judges, by the liberal judges that were put in by [former presidents Joe] Biden and by [Barack] Obama.”
O’Donnell then pointed out that many of those deported were not violent criminals. “A lot of the people that your administration has arrested and deported aren’t violent criminals,” she said. “[They are] landscapers, nannies, construction workers, the families of service members.”
Trump responded that his policy was meant to be firm and consistent. “We have to start off with a policy, and the policy has to be, you came into the country illegally, you’re going to go out. However, you’ve also seen—you’re going to go out. We’re going to work with you, and you’re going to come back into our country legally,” he said.
Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia and immigrated to the United States in 1996, became a naturalized citizen in 2006, a year after marrying Donald Trump. Although she cannot be deported, Gomez’s remark was intended to highlight what he views as the hypocrisy and cruelty of Trump’s immigration rhetoric.
The exchange sparked debate online, with some praising Gomez for his boldness and others accusing him of taking an unnecessary personal shot. As Trump continues to defend his hardline immigration record, critics like Gomez show no signs of backing down.