Trump administration to resume “neighborhood investigations” for citizenship applicants | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentNext articleIndependent Bulletin homepageSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJosh MarcusThursday 28 August 2025 00:27 BSTTrump Admin Expands “Good Moral Character” Rule For US Citizenship.The Trump administration plans to reintroduce interviews with neighbors and colleagues for US citizenship applications, a practice not used for three decades.U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated these 'neighborhood investigations' will corroborate an applicant's eligibility, residency, good moral character, and attachment to the US Constitution.Applicants are encouraged to submit testimonials, with USCIS director Joseph Edlow asserting the measure ensures proper vetting of individuals.Critics, including a former official from USCIS's predecessor agency, suggest the policy aims to intimidate and discourage naturalization, noting its historical inefficiency.This move is part of wider Trump administration efforts to impose new requirements on legal immigrants, including increased scrutiny of 'good moral character' and 'anti-American' activity, alongside expanded social media surveillance for visa applicants.In fullTrump administration brings back program not used for 30 years to screen for possible citizenshipThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in