Making President Trump’s Bed: A Housekeeper Without Papers
At the president’s New Jersey golf course, an undocumented immigrant has worked as a maid since 2013. She said she never imagined she “would see such important people close up.”
By Miriam Jordan Dec. 6, 2018
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — During more than five years as a housekeeper at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Victorina Morales has made Donald J. Trump’s bed, cleaned his toilet and dusted his crystal golf trophies. When he visited as president, she was directed to wear a pin in the shape of the American flag adorned with a Secret Service logo.
Because of the “outstanding” support she has provided during Mr. Trump’s visits, Ms. Morales in July was given a certificate from the White House Communications Agency inscribed with her name.
Quite an achievement for an undocumented immigrant housekeeper.
Ms. Morales’s journey from cultivating corn in rural Guatemala to fluffing pillows at an exclusive golf resort took her from the southwest border, where she said she crossed illegally in 1999, to the horse country of New Jersey, where she was hired at the Trump property in 2013 with documents she said were phony.
She said she was not the only worker at the club who was in the country illegally.
Sandra Diaz, 46, a native of Costa Rica who is now a legal resident of the United States, said she, too, was undocumented when she worked at Bedminster between 2010 and 2013. The two women said they worked for years as part of a group of housekeeping, maintenance and landscaping employees at the golf club that included a number of undocumented workers, though they could not say precisely how many. There is no evidence that Mr. Trump or Trump Organization executives knew of their immigration status. But at least two supervisors at the club were aware of it, the women said, and took steps to help workers evade detection and keep their jobs.
“There are many people without papers,” said Ms. Diaz, who said she witnessed several people being hired whom she knew to be undocumented.
Mr. Trump has made border security and the fight to protect jobs for Americans a cornerstone of his presidency, from the border wall he has pledged to build to the workplace raids and payroll audits that his administration has carried out.
During the presidential campaign, when the Trump International Hotel opened for business in Washington, Mr. Trump boasted that he had used an electronic verification system, E-Verify, to ensure that only those legally entitled to work were hired.
“We didn’t have one illegal immigrant on the job,” Mr. Trump said then.
But throughout his campaign and his administration, Ms. Morales, 45, has been reporting for work at Mr. Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, where she is still on the payroll. An employee of the golf course drives her and a group of others to work every day, she says, because it is known that they cannot legally obtain driver’s licenses.
A diminutive woman with only two years of education who came to the United States speaking no English, Ms. Morales has had an unusual window into one of the president’s favorite retreats: She has cleaned the president’s villa while he watched television nearby; she stood on the sidelines when potential cabinet members were brought in for interviews and when the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, arrived to confer with the president.
“I never imagined, as an immigrant from the countryside in Guatemala, that I would see such important people close up,” she said.
But Ms. Morales said she has been hurt by Mr. Trump’s public comments since he became president, including equating Latin American immigrants with violent criminals. It was that, she said, along with abusive comments from a supervisor at work about her intelligence and immigration status, that made her feel that she could no longer keep silent.
“We are tired of the abuse, the insults, the way he talks about us when he knows that we are here helping him make money,” she said. “We sweat it out to attend to his every need and have to put up with his humiliation.”
Ms. Morales and Ms. Diaz approached The New York Times through their New Jersey lawyer, Anibal Romero, who is representing them on immigration matters. Ms. Morales said that she understood she could be fired or deported as a result of coming forward, though she has applied for protection under the asylum laws. She is also exploring a lawsuit claiming workplace abuse and discrimination.
In separate, hourslong interviews in Spanish, Ms. Morales and Ms. Diaz provided detailed accounts of their work at the club and their interactions with management, including Mr. Trump. Both women described the president as demanding but kind, sometimes offering hefty tips.
While they were often unclear on precise dates of when events occurred, they appeared to recollect key events and conversations with precision.
Ms. Morales has had dealings with Mr. Trump that go back years, and her husband has confirmed that she would on occasion come home jubilant because the club owner had paid her a compliment, or bestowed on her a $50 or sometimes a $100 tip.
To ascertain that she was in fact an employee of the club, The Times reviewed Ms. Morales’s pay stubs and W-2 forms, which list the golf course as her employer. She also made available her Individual Taxpayer Identification, a nine-digit number that is issued by the Internal Revenue Service to foreigners to enable them to file taxes without being permanent residents of the United States. Having a number does not confer eligibility to work.
The Times also examined the documents Ms. Morales presented as proof that she was entitled to work — a permanent resident card, or green card, and a Social Security card, both of which she said she purchased from someone in New Jersey who produced counterfeit documents for immigrants.
The Times ran Ms. Morales’s purported Social Security number through several public records databases and none produced a match, which is often an indication that the number is not valid. The number on the back of the green card that Ms. Morales has on file at the golf course does not correspond to the format of numbers used on most legitimate resident cards. For example, it includes initials that do not match those of any immigration service centers that issue the cards.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
He will have had two years with a GOP majority senate and congress. Now he'll shut down the government and blame it on Democrats. His minions will follow suit.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
He will have had two years with a GOP majority senate and congress. Now he'll shut down the government and blame it on Democrats. His minions will follow suit.
He will have had two years with a GOP majority senate and congress. Now he'll shut down the government and blame it on Democrats. His minions will follow suit.
Once again you are big of mouth and small on facts.
He will have had two years with a GOP majority senate and congress. Now he'll shut down the government and blame it on Democrats. His minions will follow suit.
In 2 days, he’ll start blaming the Dems. Everybody sees it coming.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
He will have had two years with a GOP majority senate and congress. Now he'll shut down the government and blame it on Democrats. His minions will follow suit.
Once again you are big of mouth and small on facts.
Education for 40....
I'm typing, not talking.
You're welcome.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
It's nice to be able to have civil discussions with a poster who doesn't agree with you about everything. I wish there could be more of that around here.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Pence is the worst hype man ever. Suppose to go in there and have trumps back. Not just sit there.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Pence is sitting back while wringing his hands, hoping you guys "Get Trump" so he can open up the camps and make us a Christian Nation as our new President.
Pence is sitting back while wringing his hands, hoping you guys "Get Trump" so he can open up the camps and make us a Christian Nation as our new President.
the problem with that theory is that if the dems "Get trump", pence doesn't stand a chance of reelection.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Do the Dems not want to protect the country with a border wall? If not then why?
the dems support border security. they do not support a wall that won't work.
unless you support wasteful government spending, of course.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
the dems have some solutions. you just dont like them. a wall won't work. so doing something just for the sake of doing it is not only stupid, but financially wasteful.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
I've yet to hear any moderate democrat offer a border security solution. What is the solution?
Now I have seen democrats on the West coast and their sanctuary cities which is the exact opposite of border security. Not really sure what's going on there but okay.
noticed how it went from just democrat, to "moderate" democrat?
whats next? " i havent heard any right leaning democrat...."
why is it that im aware of both parties policies, but you aren't?
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Well I say moderate because in my opinion the democrat party has become too far left leaning. When more and more democrats have policies of sanctuary cities I feel the need to make a qualifying statement from which part of the democrat party I want input from.
If you're aware of both parties policies, spit out democrats solutions on border security because I want to know.
Now in reality, what each side should do is make lists, get together and say, what things can we agree on and compromise for. That is actually one of the things I don't like about Trump so far.
did you not pay attention to what they passed last time? as well as what they just told trump on the video posted?
apparently they have bipartisan legislation for border security, AGAIN, same as last year.
so what was last years border security bill? did you pay attention, or did fox news not tell you?
im trying not to be rude, but if you simply paid attention, or looked at other news outlets, you would know these things.
it increasingly seems like liberals seem to know both parties policies, while conservatives are only aware of republicans, then claim the dems have no solutions.
Last edited by Swish; 12/11/1807:12 PM.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
and im trying to understand how you aren't aware of both parties policies.
why is it that myself and others are aware of both parties policies, but you aren't?
its a simple question to answer.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
is this the hill Trump is willing to die on? very happily willing to shut down the government for a wall?
a wall that won't work?
meanwhile, there's bipartisan support for a senate bill to fund border security, so if the government ends up getting shut down, it's only gonna look bad for Trump.
the dems told the masses they don't support funding for a wall, and they won the house. So trump and his base are the minority on this wall nonsense. if he shuts down the government over this, not a good look, especially due to the fact that he's already looking ahead to 2020.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
and yet, the only people claiming they don't are.....you and the other conservatives.
so which is it? do you admit that trump and conservatives are lying when they state that the dems don't support border security?
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
“We are tired of the abuse, the insults, the way he talks about us when he knows that we are here helping him make money,” she said. “We sweat it out to attend to his every need and have to put up with his humiliation.”
“We are tired of the abuse, the insults, the way he talks about us when he knows that we are here helping him make money,” she said. “We sweat it out to attend to his every need and have to put up with his humiliation.”
Damning.
Yes, it is. She, and all the other illegals should be exported.
Oh, and before anyone says it, I'm SURE trump hired her.
Yes, it is. She, and all the other illegals should be exported.
Oh, and before anyone says it, I'm SURE trump hired her.
Do you honestly know any illegals?
Not just know of someone, but honestly actually know any illegals? I'm guessing you really don't. Not on much of a personal level.
I don't think it would be so easy to say that if this was the case.
I certainly support stronger border security. I support a wall. It sounds like a great idea. I don't blame anyone for coming to this country, but we can't just let everyone in. There has to be a process. And I'd like to know who is coming in of course. That's top priority for me.
But "exporting" every illegal. That's a bit much. You're talking about 10.7 million people. Folks who have families. People with children who are citizens. Spouses who are citizens, and so on. They've got lives. They're kids who've been here since a very young age and know absolutely nothing of the country they came from, many with absolutely no connection at all. There's plenty who are kids whose green cards expired because they didn't have any guidance in the difficult process and were too young to recognize how important this is (say a middle or high school student)
These are people we're talking about. Humans. Not products/goods we can just "export" back.
Do you understand that those (your number here) 10 million 700 thousand, are.....................ILLEGAL?
Of course I do Arch.
But it's not that black and white for me. Maybe for you. Not for me. My wife was illegal. So was my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law.
It's Christmas Time. On Christmas Eve there's a good chance that I'll be spending my holiday in a house with a very good amount of illegals in it. I'll be going to Christmas Parties with many illegals.
And they aren't bad people at all. Just folks who wanted a better opportunity and a chance to live/raise a family in the United States. They welcome me into their homes. They offer me whatever they're drinking, and we all have a good time
Build the wall! 
DTS... 