The Trump administration has issued new guidance that significantly changes how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers assess whether immigrants meet the “good moral character” (GMC) requirement when applying for U.S. citizenship.
In a policy memo released August 15, USCIS directs officers to conduct a more rigorous and holistic review of an applicant’s behavior and background. Instead of checking only for disqualifying offenses such as certain crimes, the agency now calls for a broader assessment that includes both positive community contributions and conduct that may be technically lawful but socially questionable.
“Naturalization is envisioned not simply as a procedural immigration benefit — the greatest of all — but a significant legal transformation, an assimilation to a country that demands both allegiance and character,” the agency wrote in the memo.
What’s Changing?
The good moral character requirement has long been a part of the naturalization process. Historically, applicants were denied only if they had committed certain serious offenses, such as aggravated felonies, false claims to U.S. citizenship, or habitual drunkenness, during the 3- or 5-year statutory period before applying.
Under the new policy, USCIS officers are instructed to take a more expansive approach:
Greater Emphasis on Positive Attributes
Applicants may now benefit from factors such as:
- Long-term community involvement
- Caregiving or family responsibilities
- Educational achievements
- Lawful and stable employment history
- Financial responsibility, including paying taxes
- Length of time spent lawfully in the U.S.
Stricter Scrutiny of Negative Conduct
USCIS will now consider:
- Technically legal but socially questionable behavior (e.g., repeated traffic offenses, harassment, aggressive solicitation)
- Conditional bars such as multiple DUIs, unlawful voting, or drug offenses
- Any conduct that doesn’t fit with the “average behavior” of citizens in a given community
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Focus on Rehabilitation
The agency is also placing greater weight on evidence of rehabilitation. Applicants who have engaged in past wrongdoing may still be approved for naturalization if they can show genuine reform, such as:
- Complying with probation
- Paying overdue taxes or child support
- Providing credible letters of community support
- Mentoring others with similar experiences
A Shift Toward Subjective Discretion
While certain offenses will still automatically disqualify an applicant (e.g., murder or genocide), the memo gives USCIS officers more discretion to deny citizenship based on a wider range of behaviors, even if those behaviors don’t fall into existing statutory bars.
The Bigger Picture
This move is part of a broader trend by the Trump administration to tighten access to legal immigration benefits. While high-profile enforcement actions have focused on unauthorized immigrants, USCIS has quietly expanded vetting for green cards, visas, and now, naturalization.
Between 600,000 and 1 million immigrants become U.S. citizens each year. Under the new policy, those navigating the final step of the legal immigration process may face a more uncertain and subjective review.
What This Means for Naturalization Applicants
For immigrants preparing to apply for U.S. citizenship, this policy change raises the stakes.
Naturalization applicants should now expect:
- More thorough background reviews that go beyond criminal records to include civic behavior, financial history, and community reputation.
- Potential delays if USCIS officers require additional documentation to evaluate moral character.
- Greater need to highlight positive contributions, such as volunteer work, caregiving roles, educational achievements, and long-term ties to the U.S.
- Heightened risk of denial for seemingly minor infractions, including traffic violations, social misconduct, or technical noncompliance with local norms, especially if no counterbalancing evidence of rehabilitation or positive character is submitted.
While the new guidance does allow applicants to present evidence of rehabilitation, it also places the burden on them to show they’re not only free of wrongdoing, but that they are responsible members of their communities.
