Changes to naturalization civics test better assess applicants’ knowledge of U.S. history and government WASHINGTON: On September 17, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted a Federal Register notice announcing implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test. The 2025 test assesses an alien’s understanding of U.S. history and government in line with the statutory requirement and is one […]
By: Rebecca Cassler | American Immigration Council On September 5, the Trump administration took yet another step to punish undocumented people in the United States. In Matter of Yajure Hurtado, the Board of Immigration Appeals proclaimed that any person who crossed the border unlawfully and is later taken into immigration detention is no longer eligible for […]
By: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick and Shev Dalal-Dheini | americanimmigrationcouncil.org| Editorial credit: Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock.com On September 5, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency established by Congress to adjudicate immigration applications, made a startling announcement. For the first time since the agency was created in 2003, the agency will create a new class of […]
By: Mary Campbell In an exclusive interview, Joseph Edlow, newly confirmed Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has defended a controversial immigration policy shift allowing immigration officers to weigh applicants’ personal views—specifically whether they espouse “anti‑American” ideologies—as part of green card and visa evaluations. What This Change Entails Edlow emphasized that the policy […]
By: Gabe Ortiz | Americasvoicecnn.substack.com It’s back to school season, which means that millions of students all across the country will be returning to classrooms beginning this week. But when many of these kids should be excited about new clothes, school supplies, and getting to see their friends again, they’re instead left to worry that […]
By: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick |americanimmigrationcouncil.org | Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com As we continue to see sweeping changes to immigration enforcement inside the United States, the Trump administration has also begun taking steps to restrict immigration to the United States. Over the past two weeks, the Trump administration announced that it was intending to bring back multiple […]
By: Mary Campbell U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially intensified its evaluation of the ‘good moral character’ (GMC) standard for lawful permanent residents applying for U.S. citizenship. Under this revised policy, applicants must now substantiate not only the absence of disqualifying behavior, but also demonstrate active, positive contributions to their communities. Expanded GMC […]
By: Haidee Chu and Gwynne Hogan| thecity.nyc | Editorial credit: Christopher Penler / Shutterstock.com On a recent morning in Lower Manhattan, immigration Judge John Siemietkowski spoke to three people in his courtroom while masked federal officers waited just outside. “I’m sure you can see with your own eyes what’s going on in our courthouse,” Siemietkowski said. “You […]
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced sweeping updates to marriage-based green card policies—effective August 1, 2025—mandating in-person interviews in nearly all spousal visa cases and sharply increasing evidentiary requirements to detect fraudulent petitions. What’s Changed? 1. Mandatory In-Person Interviews for Nearly All Cases USCIS now requires face-to-face interviews in essentially all marriage-based […]
Washington, D.C. – August 6, 2025 – In a major policy shift, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now warning that individuals applying for family-based green cards—particularly marriage-based petitions—could be placed directly into removal (deportation) proceedings if found ineligible. This update, effective August 1, 2025, states that approval of a family-based petition no longer ensures […]
