Tagged #naturalization
Every article we've published on this topic, sorted by the agency's own announcement date.
DOJ Prioritizes Denaturalization Cases as Filings Surge to Record Levels
The Justice Department issued June 2025 guidance directing attorneys to prioritize denaturalization proceedings. Filings have surged dramatically, with 50 cases filed in July 2026 alone — among the highest monthly totals on record.
USCIS Policy Alert on Investigations and Examinations for Naturalization Eligibility
USCIS formalizes neighborhood investigations for naturalization applicants in updated Policy Manual. New guidance on investigations under INA 335(a) and examinations under INA 335(b).
Federal Court Stays USCIS Policy: NGOs Can Again Provide Voter Registration at Naturalization Ceremonies
A Maryland federal court has issued a stay blocking USCIS's August 2025 policy that restricted voter registration services at administrative naturalization ceremonies to state and local officials only. NGOs can now participate again pending final court resolution.
Trump Administration Signals Stricter Naturalization Testing Rules Ahead
DHS plans new educational standards and third-party exam administration for U.S. citizenship testing. A notice of proposed rulemaking is expected in December 2026.
Federal judge blocks USCIS ban on voter registration at naturalization ceremonies
U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking a USCIS policy that prevented nonpartisan groups from registering newly naturalized citizens to vote at administrative ceremonies.
Trump Administration Tightens Citizenship Standards, Increases Denaturalization Enforcement
USCIS has made naturalization harder—raising fees, stiffening civics tests, and denying applications at record rates. The DOJ is aggressively pursuing denaturalization cases. What practitioners need to know.
Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Blocks Trump's Executive Order
SCOTUS rules that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to all children born in the U.S., regardless of parental immigration status, blocking Trump's executive order that would have denied citizenship to children of undocumented parents.
DHS Proposes Major Hike in Naturalization Fees and Elimination of Waivers
Trump administration proposes raising N-400 citizenship application fees by 75% and eliminating fee waivers for low-income applicants. New rule is open for public comment through August 2026.
Trump Administration Proposes $570 Increase to Citizenship Application Fees
USCIS proposes raising naturalization fees to $1,330 (paper) and $1,280 (online), and eliminating fee waivers for low-income applicants. Learn what changes and how to advise clients during the 60-day comment period.
DHS Posts 'Citizenship Lists Portal' to Advance Trump's Anti-Voting Order
DHS announced plans for a portal giving state election officials access to federal citizenship lists before the general public can verify accuracy, raising concerns about voter eligibility determinations and inaccurate data.
Federal Judge Strikes Down USCIS Freeze on 39-Country Benefit Processing
U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell vacates four USCIS policies that froze work permits, green cards, asylum, and naturalization applications for nationals of 39 countries. USCIS must resume adjudication immediately.
Federal Judge Invalidates USCIS Asylum and Work Permit Holds
A federal judge struck down four Trump administration policies that froze asylum adjudications and work permit processing for applicants from 39 countries, finding the agency violated federal law and acted with anti-immigrant animus.
Federal judge strikes down Trump asylum processing freeze, orders USCIS to resume adjudication
A Rhode Island federal judge has vacated Trump administration policies that halted asylum processing and immigration benefit adjudications for nationals of 39 countries. USCIS must immediately resume processing green cards, work permits, asylum applications, and naturalizations.
Federal Court Vacates DHS Policy Blocking Benefits for Nationals of 39 Countries
Rhode Island federal judge strikes down USCIS memoranda freezing adjudication of green cards, work permits, and naturalization for nationals of 39 countries. Decision restores duty to adjudicate under the INA and bars nationality-based discrimination.
Federal Court Vacates USCIS Benefit Freeze Policies in Dorcas Decision
Rhode Island federal court voids four USCIS policies that had frozen asylum, adjustment of status, and other immigration benefit adjudications. Practitioners must now advise clients that these holds no longer apply.
Federal judge voids four USCIS policies halting processing from 39 countries
A Rhode Island district judge vacated Trump administration policies that indefinitely froze asylum, green card, work permit, and citizenship processing from 39 countries, forcing USCIS to resume adjudication.
Judge Strikes Down Trump Travel Ban–Based USCIS Benefit Freeze on 39 Countries
Federal judge vacates USCIS policies that froze asylum, work permit, green card, and naturalization decisions for applicants from 39 designated countries. Agencies must resume processing immediately.
USCIS Implements 2025 Naturalization Civics Test—New Standards Effective Oct. 20
USCIS published a Federal Register notice implementing a revised naturalization civics test effective Oct. 20, 2025. The new test has 20 questions from a 128-question pool; applicants must answer 12 correctly to pass. Practitioners must advise clients on filing deadlines to avoid the harder exam.
USCIS Updates Good Moral Character Standards and Ideological Vetting for Naturalization
USCIS issued a policy memo in August 2025 reshaping how officers evaluate good moral character for naturalization applicants, emphasizing positive community contributions and adding new ideological screening.
USCIS Reinstates Neighborhood Investigations for Naturalization Applicants
USCIS policy memo ending the decades-old waiver of neighborhood checks for citizenship applicants. Officers will now investigate neighbors and employment history, requiring applicants to submit testimonial letters proactively.
USCIS Shifts to Holistic Good Moral Character Review in Naturalization Cases
New USCIS policy memorandum PM-602-0188 requires officers to evaluate naturalization applicants' positive contributions and full history, not just absence of disqualifications.
I-130 Petitioner Eligibility: What U.S. Citizens vs. LPRs Can Actually File
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents both file Form I-130, but the relatives each can sponsor and the wait times look very different. Here is the breakdown.
N-400 Good Moral Character: The INA §101(f) Bars and the Statutory-Period Look-Back
Good moral character is not a vibe — it is a statutory test with permanent bars, conditional bars, and a five-year look-back. Here is what USCIS actually reviews on the N-400.
N-400 Physical Presence: The Half-of-the-Statutory-Period Rule and How USCIS Actually Counts
Physical presence is not continuous residence — it counts days inside U.S. borders. Here's how to compute the 30 (or 18) months and avoid the most common arithmetic mistakes.
N-400 Naturalization: The Five-Year Rule, the Three-Year Spousal Exception, and Continuous Residence
What the 5-year LPR clock and the 3-year spouse-of-citizen exception actually require, and how 'continuous residence' breaks when you leave the country for too long.