Proof of ‘good moral character’ increasingly important as U.S. citizenship requirements change

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Local immigration attorneys and citizenship teachers are preparing immigrants in reaction to a flurry of changes to the naturalization process that could make it more challenging to obtain U.S. citizenship. 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced policy changes in the last few months instructing officers administering the naturalization interview to test applicants on more questions. The agency also gave its officers more leeway to optionally request that applicants show additional evidence of “good moral character.” 

It’s still too early to determine how the changes could affect immigrants scheduled for upcoming naturalization tests, said several local immigration attorneys and teachers who administer citizenship classes.

John Schwarz, a citizenship teacher at Literacy Minnesota, said some of his students are worried about how the changes could affect them, and whether they could be subject to a USCIS investigation. 

“However they effectuate the change of good moral character, it’s something that… I won’t have to face, to see about my readiness and government evaluation,” said Schwarz, who was born in the United States. “It’s a standard that naturalization applicants face that we don’t have to go through.” 

Elmi Mahamoud, an immigrant from Djoubti, attended citizenship classes offered by Literacy Minnesota two years ago. He became a citizen in 2023, and now helps Schwarz teach the class on Saturdays.

More students were enrolled in the Saturday class around this time last year, Mahamoud said, adding that he’s unsure why the number has dropped. But he remains optimistic. 

“I see this as a temporary thing, because of what’s happening around,” he said, referring to changes in the naturalization process. “I’m expecting more students to enroll in the coming months. My wish is just to have more classes and reach more people.” 

To apply for U.S. citizenship, immigrants need to have lawful permanent resident status, also known as a green card, and must have lived in the country for at least five years. The residency requirement is three years for immigrants who are married to a U.S. citizen. Immigrants cannot apply if they’ve committed certain crimes. 

The naturalization interview is conducted in person with a USCIS officer, and includes tests of an applicant’s ability to write, read and speak English. Applicants must also take a civics test about U.S. history and government, and must also supply background information, including their country of citizenship and employer’s name.

Naturalized U.S. citizens can vote in elections and apply for a U.S. passport, and cannot be deported, among other benefits. The pass rate for the naturalization test and interview was 90% in 2022, according to the most recent data available from the federal citizenship agency.

Changes announced in August and September

Starting in October, immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship will be tested on more civics questions and might be required to submit additional records to USCIS officers. The agency’s officers are classified as special agents; some were authorized in September to carry firearms. Several local attorneys who recently visited the USCIS Minneapolis office told Sahan Journal that they did not see any officers carrying firearms. 

The agency also announced on Sept. 17 that it is doubling the number of questions applicants must answer correctly. Applicants will be asked up to 20 questions instead of 10, and must now answer 12 questions correctly instead of 6 to pass the exam. Immigrants previously studied 100 questions to prepare for the test, and must now study 128. 

Immigrants who submit their citizenship applications on or after Oct. 20, 2025, will be administered the new civics test.

Other initiatives will be announced by USCIS in the coming weeks and months to “further enhance the integrity of the naturalization process,” said a Sept. 17 news release by the agency. 

The new initiatives are “ensuring” that all immigrants are “fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness,” said a statement from USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser. 

Corleen Smith, director of immigration services at the International Institute of Minnesota, said there will be “multi-faceted consequences” from the new civics test. 

“It’s not just the students having to learn more information, it’s also training the immigration officers and the staff about the new updates and what that involves for the interview,” Smith said. “That means less people are going to become citizens and more frustration.”  

The institute is discussing ways to adapt their citizenship classes to react to the changes. 

“We know that despite these additional questions and the additional delays that I’m sure are going to happen, they [applicants] have overcome many challenges in their life,” Smith said. “This is just one more thing that they can overcome and we’re here to support them.” 

In mid-August, USCIS issued two new policy memos for its officers in denying or approving U.S. citizenship for immigrants: The officers can conduct a “neighborhood investigation” on applicants by requesting letters from their neighbors, employers and co-workers. Officers were also told to consider an applicant’s contributions to the community and other attributes, such as family caregiving and education level. 

Officers can enforce the new initiatives on a voluntary basis, according to the citizenship agency.

“The idea of it has that chilling effect for folks being like, ‘What are they gonna do with this?’” said Caroline Ostrom, a Minneapolis-based immigration attorney. “They’re [USCIS] basically putting this in their toolbox, but the officer definitely has the discretion to waive that in every case.” 

Applicants for citizenship usually submit tax documents, and if they exist, criminal records, local immigration attorneys say. Under the new practices announced in August, the federal government could also look for more evidence, such as community service or employment achievements.

Local immigration attorneys say they recently started asking clients to prepare more documents such as recommendation letters from employers, proof of education and work achievements, before submitting citizenship applications. 

“These other things, like the level of education, was never a thing for good moral character,” Ostrom said. “This is adding a level of ‘prove yourself.’” 

Paschal Nwokocha, a Minneapolis immigration attorney, said his law firm updated their protocol about two weeks ago to prepare clients applying for citizenship. If clients have a criminal history, even as low as a speeding ticket, they’re asked to collect letters from peers that attest to their “rehabilitated” character.

“We just don’t want to risk any denial at this stage or delay at this stage,” he said. 

Stephanie Davis, a Minneapolis immigration attorney, accompanied about 20 clients at their naturalization interviews between August and mid-September. 

Davis said citizenship officers approved most of her clients for citizenship earlier this year, and rarely delayed their decision in order to request additional records. But since the government issued the new initiatives in August, she added, requests for more information are “getting more common,” and citizenship officers are more “hesitant” to issue an immediate decision.  

“I tell them [clients] that the government’s doing a really good job of scaring people, and that’s their number one priority right now is to scare people out of immigration,” Davis said. “I’m a more wait-and-see kind of person.” 

On top of the recent changes, several nonprofits teaching citizenship and English classes have faced federal funding cuts, including Literacy Minnesota and the International Institute of Minnesota. Last year, Literacy Minnesota offered four citizenship classes, but reduced the class offerings this year to one class every Saturday. 

How to find citizenship classes:  

• Literacy Minnesota:
  • Call 612-377-5399 to speak with a coordinator as the first step to register.
    • Citizenship classes are held on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Arlington Hills Library, 1200 Payne Avenue, St. Paul, in-person.
• Call the Adult Literacy Hotline at 800-222-1990, or text 612-424-1211, or visit this link to find citizenship classes near you.
• International Institute of Minnesota:
  • Visit the Institute in person at 1694 Como Avenue, St. Paul, and take an English test and discuss your goals on Fridays between 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. No appointment is needed.
    • Citizenship classes are held in person at the Institute on Fridays, between 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. 
• St. Paul Public Schools’ Hubbs Center:
  • Fill out this form or visit the center, 1030 University Avenue W., St. Paul, in person on Fridays between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to take an English placement test and to talk with a staff member to schedule orientation and classes.
    • Citizenship classes are held on Fridays in person at the Hubbs Center or online between 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
• Applicants can find the location for their naturalization interviews at this USCIS website. Applicants can have an immigration attorney present and also request an interpreter at their naturalization interview.
  • For Twin Cities applicants, the naturalization interviews take place at the USCIS office in downtown Minneapolis at 250 Marquette Ave., Suite 710. Interviews typically take 20 to 40 minutes, and are conducted year-round between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. 

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