On August 15, 2025, the Trump Administration issued a Policy Memorandum that could make it significantly harder for some applicants to obtain U.S. citizenship and may lengthen processing times. Although the Good Moral Character (GMC) requirement in the law has not changed, the memo raises the bar in practice by expecting applicants to show that they actively live as responsible community members, not just that they have avoided criminal conduct.

What changed in practice

The memo tells officers to look at the “totality of the circumstances” under INA 316(a) and 8 CFR 316.2, weighing all positive and negative facts about a person’s life. Officers must decide whether an applicant is truly “worthy” of citizenship, considering not just statutory bars but also whether overall behavior matches that of an average citizen in the local community.​

Focus on positive contributions

Simply having no criminal record is no longer enough; applicants are encouraged to show concrete positive contributions. Helpful evidence can include community or church involvement, caregiving for family, school or training, steady lawful work, long‑term lawful residence, and clear tax and financial compliance, ideally supported by documents and community letters.​

Tougher look at negative conduct

The memo reaffirms that serious crimes and immigration violations remain permanent or conditional bars, such as aggravated felonies, persecution, certain drug offenses, multiple DUIs, false claims to citizenship, and unlawful voting. It also invites officers to treat patterns of “socially suspect” behavior—like repeated traffic violations, harassment, or aggressive solicitation—as signs of poor character, even when technically lawful, which may lead to more RFEs, NOIDs, and denials.​

Rehabilitation and “full story”

For people with past problems, the memo stresses rehabilitation: fixing unpaid child support, paying back taxes or benefit overpayments, completing probation, and providing strong community testimony can all support GMC. Officers are also encouraged to review a broader slice of an applicant’s life and ask for the “full story,” including conduct outside the statutory period, to see if current behavior fits community ethical standards.​

What this means for applicants

Even though the legal GMC standard has not changed, the memo raises expectations and can especially burden low‑income or low‑literacy applicants who meet the law but have little documentation of “positive attributes.”

Applicants for naturalization should proceed with caution if they are concerned about some aspect of their background. It is advisable to build strong positive‑equity packets (community letters, volunteer work, employment, caregiving, civic contributions, and tax compliance), and prepare clear rehabilitation narratives and supporting evidence for anyone with criminal, financial, or other adverse history.