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IMMIGRATION SEPTEMBER 12, 2025 | The Indian Eye 30
Neighborhood Snooping:
USCIS’s New Roadblock
to Citizenship
BY CYRUS MEHTA & etal norms, and positive con- conducting neighborhood in- USCIS may request in- ter of Castillo-Perez, 27 I&N
tributions that affirmatively vestigations stems from INA formation from the alien Dec. 664 (A.G. 2019).
KAITLYN BOX*
demonstrate good moral 335(a) to corroborate an seeking naturalization to The USCIS’s basis for
character”. applicant’s residency, good inform its decision on con- finding good moral character
SCIS seems to be ob- As if that was not enough moral character, attachment ducting the neighborhood in the absence of disqualifying
sessed about height-
Uening the good mor- to make naturalization more to tthe US Constitution and investigation such as testi- criminal convictions and oth-
burdensome, on August 22, disposition to the good order
er adverse factors was practi-
monial letters from neigh-
al character standard for 2025 USCIS announced that and happiness of the United bors, employers, co-workers, cal and made sense as it pro-
citizenship for the purpose of it would resume neighbor- States that is prescribed un- and business associates who vided an objective standard
delay. hood investigations to cover der INA 316. However, the know the alien and can pro- for adjudicators to process
On August 19, 2025 US-
CIS announced that it would the vicinity of an applicant’s neighborhood requirement vide substantiated informa- the application in a stream-
tion about the alien, includ-
lined and expeditious man-
place of residence and em-
under INA 335(a) has long
evaluate good moral char- ployment for at least the been dormant. ing any of the requirements ners. Now the requirement
acter in the naturalization 5-year period prior to filing From 1802 to 1981, cit- for naturalization. If such to evaluate good moral char-
context to encompass a “ho- the application for natural- izenship applicants were evidence is not contained in acter based on positive con-
listic assessment of an alien’s ization. The authority for required to present two wit- the alien’s application for tributions, including corrob-
behavior, adherence to soci-
nesses who could testify naturalization, USCIS may oration from neighbors, will
to their qualifications request that the alien submit cause delays and bog down
for citizenship. In 1981, such evidence. Submitting the system. At this time, even
Congress eliminated the such evidence proactive- under the not too immigrant
requirement for witness- ly with the Application for friendly Trump administra-
es in place of neighbor- Naturalization can assist US- tion, Form N-400 naturaliza-
hood investigations, if CIS in determining whether tion applications are pro-
necessary. But by 1991, a waiver of a neighborhood cessed and approved for the
the former Immigration investigation is appropriate oath ceremony in less than 6
and Naturalization Ser- in a particular case without a months assuming the appli-
vice stopped conducting need to issue a Request for cant meets all the criteria.
neighborhood investiga- Evidence. Moreover, the whole
tions. As explained in our pri- notion of interviewing the
USCIS now under or blog, the heightened good neighbor seems outdated
the Trump administra- moral character requirement and unworkable. People are
tion is reviving neigh- in the August 19 announce- mostly anonymized and do
borhood investigations ment, and now further ele- not mix with neighbors. In
to thwart one’s path to vated in the August 22 an- suburban towns, most peo-
citizenship. It will make nouncement, is a significant ple drive to and from their
the decision to conduct departure from the previous homes. There is no village
or waive neighborhood USCIS policy concerning square or green for neigh-
investigations on an in- good moral character. Al- bors to mingle, dine or dance
m of dividualized discretion- though the INA does not after work or during the
CYRUS D. MEHTA & PARTNERS PLLC ary basis after reviewing specifically define good moral weekends. Even in large cit-
relevant evidence in the
character, USCIS had previ-
ies such as New York where
record. This suggests ously held naturalization ap- people live in apartment
that an applicant would plicants to the standard of an buildings within dense neigh-
have to include letters average U.S. citizen, rather borhoods, one hardly knows
from neighbors and oth- than requiring them to pro- the neighbor who lives on the
ers in the N-400 applica- vide evidence of exemplary same floor. Most people will
tion in order to stave off character or contributions. barely know each other in a
a neighborhood investi- See In re Mogus, 73 F.Supp. large Manhattan apartment
gation. The USCIS guid- 150 (W.D. Pa. 1947); Petition condominium, and when
2 6th Floor ance on neighborhood of De Leo, 75 F. Supp. 896 they ride elevators, most
investigations states: (W.D. Pa. 1948); and Mat- barely greet each other keep-
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