The Trump administration has broadened the requirement for immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship to demonstrate “good moral character,” a move that immigration attorneys warn could create new obstacles and uncertainty in the naturalization process. In a directive issued last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) instructed its officers to adopt a more expansive evaluation of both the positive and negative “attributes or contributions” of applicants. The agency said the shift aims to ensure immigrants prove they are “worthy” of U.S. citizenship, not merely free of misconduct.
The memo calls for what officials described as a “holistic approach,” requiring applicants to affirmatively show they meet the character threshold. USCIS spokesperson Matthew J. Tragesser defended the policy, saying: “U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship—it should only be offered to the world’s best of the best.” While the standard of good moral character has long been part of U.S. naturalization law, immigration experts say the new guidance effectively raises the bar and makes the process more subjective.
Legal scholars and immigration lawyers expressed concern that the change could introduce unpredictability and heavier administrative burdens. Emily Ryo, a Duke University law and sociology professor, questioned how applicants would be expected to prove they are “worthy” of citizenship and what documentation would suffice. Arizona-based attorney Susan Ramos said the policy amounts to changing substantive requirements “without notice and comment,” creating ambiguity over how much volunteer work, civic participation, or other achievements would meet the new standard. Others, like California attorney Kathrin Mautino, warned the memo grants officers broader discretion to probe applicants’ private lives.
The directive also introduces stricter financial and behavioral requirements. Previously, immigrants who owed taxes could qualify by showing proof of an IRS payment plan, but now they must demonstrate full payment of overdue taxes as well as other obligations, including child-support arrears. Applicants with multiple traffic tickets, or those accused of “harassment or aggressive solicitation,” could also be denied for lacking good moral character. USCIS said the tougher rules are designed to ensure that immigrants “who have engaged in wrongdoing are properly rehabilitated and reformed.”
The new guidance comes amid a broader tightening of immigration policies under the Trump administration, which has moved to scrutinize nearly every stage of the immigration process. In May, the State Department temporarily paused visa interviews for international students to examine applicants’ social media for “hostile attitudes” toward the United States. This week, USCIS announced it would expand similar vetting across other immigration benefits, including applications to live, work, or study in the country, reflecting the administration’s heightened focus on ideological and character-based screening.
