Articles Posted in Citizenship

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Recent changes to the green card application process have added new hurdles that could make interview approvals more difficult. In this blog, we’ll break down what these changes are and how they could affect your chances of success.

What’s changed?

  • USCIS officers now have expanded authority
  • Immigration officers have been granted law enforcement powers as federal agents
  • Increased ability to investigate immigration cases for fraud, misrepresentation, and other violations
  • Authority to refer cases for criminal prosecution
  • Power to arrest and detain applicants during green card interviews for violations

USCIS Shifts from Administrative to Law Enforcement Agency

For decades, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has primarily served as an administrative agency. Its core function has been to process immigration benefits such as green cards, work permits, naturalization, and other legal status applications. USCIS operated separately from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is tasked with enforcing immigration laws, including detaining and removing individuals who are in violation. This separation reflected a clear distinction between those applying for lawful immigration benefits and those facing enforcement actions.

However, in recent months, USCIS policies have started to shift in a direction that aligns more closely with immigration enforcement. Officers within the agency are being granted expanded authority, including certain law enforcement powers. For example, USCIS officers now have increased discretion to investigate cases for fraud, misrepresentation, or other immigration violations — and in some cases, they may refer cases for prosecution or even detain applicants during in-person interviews for immigration violations.

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As of August 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed conducting personal investigations for certain naturalization applicants including home visits, neighborhood investigations, and visits at places of employment. These visits are part of the agency’s new efforts to verify the accuracy of information provided in citizenship applications and to prevent immigration fraud.

Highlights

  • Neighborhood Visit Policy Revived: USCIS has reinstated the neighborhood investigation policy after more than 30 years of limited or no enforcement.
  • Applies to Citizenship Applicants: This is a new development specifically affecting individuals applying for U.S. naturalization.
  • Focus on Verifying Eligibility: Neighborhood visits may be used to verify details such as residence, good moral character, and other naturalization requirements.
  • Supporting Documentation Encouraged: Applicants are advised to submit testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, or associates to potentially avoid in-person visits.

Policy Overview

Although neighborhood visits are not a new practice, they were generally suspended because USCIS relied on biometric checks and criminal history checks to determine an applicant’s good moral character and eligibility for naturalization. Their resurgence reflects a renewed emphasis on evaluating a person’s background to determine whether they possess “good moral character”—a requirement for citizenship. Officers may visit applicants’ residences to confirm details like physical presence, marital status (especially in spousal-based cases), and other eligibility requirements.

In practice, this is likely to occur if, after the USCIS citizenship interview, the officer remains unconvinced that the applicant demonstrates good moral character or meets other eligibility requirements.

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On July 15, 2025, U.S. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar introduced the Dignity Act of 2025 known as H.R. 4393, a bipartisan immigration bill that aims to strengthen border security in the United States, provide certain undocumented immigrants with an opportunity to legalize their status, and reform the U.S. legal immigration system.

The bill is a revised version of the Dignity Act of 2023 and has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick breaks down each section of the Dignity Act touching on the bill’s major goals such as:

  • Border Security and Enforcement
  • Reform of the Asylum System
  • Legalization for Dreamers and Other Undocumented Immigrants
  • Benefits for American Workers and
  • Modernizing Legal Immigration

Border Security and Enforcement

The bill’s first major goal is to decrease illegal immigration with several measures aimed at strengthening border security and immigration enforcement. The bill would mandate the nationwide implementation of E-Verify to ensure that only authorized individuals are employed in the U.S., helping to deter illegal immigration through the workforce.

U.S. employers would face civil penalties for knowingly hiring individuals who are not legally authorized to work in the United States, as well as new penalties for employees and employers who knowingly submit false information through E-Verify.

The bill also funds the construction and modernization of physical and technological border infrastructure, including surveillance systems and sensors to improve detection and response capabilities at the border. Approximately $10 billion would be distributed until 2030 for the construction and modernization of ports of entry. To promote accountability, the Act includes oversight requirements for immigration enforcement agencies like ICE. Together, these provisions are designed to improve border control, discourage unlawful entry, and restore public trust in the immigration system.

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In a sharp escalation of his hardline immigration policies, President Trump has recently turned his attention toward lawful permanent residents, sparking alarm among green card holders with the right to live and work in the United States permanently.

While Trump’s immigration policies during his first term in office primarily targeted undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers, this time his administration is taking a more aggressive approach, aimed at even those who have followed legal pathways to U.S. permanent residency. By now you have seen the headlines in the news detailing heightened scrutiny and enforcement measures against green card holders by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Understanding why Trump is now targeting green card holders requires taking a closer look at his administration’s policies and what this means for the future of immigration under President Trump.

Overview

Under President Trump’s current administration, green card holders are being treated like guests, with the privilege of having the ability to live and work in the United States. But that privilege can be placed under scrutiny if lawful permanent residents violate their legal status.

This is because of the administration’s new “Catch and Revoke” policy, introduced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, establishing a stringent “one-strike” rule targeting non-citizens, including green card holders, visa recipients, and parolees.

Under this new policy, any legal violation by non-citizens—ranging from minor infractions to more serious offenses—can lead to the immediate revocation of immigration status and potential deportation.

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In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses an interesting situation that can occur when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues a green card by mistake.

Learn what can happen in this situation and the steps you need to take to inform USCIS of the mistake, so that it does not cause complications for you down the road.

Overview

You might be wondering, how is it possible for a green card to be issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by mistake? Although this is not a common occurrence, there are situations where an administrative or clerical error, can lead USCIS to issue a green card before an applicant is eligible to receive one, or before a green card is available.

It is important for you to understand that receiving a green card in error can have serious immigration consequences. Those who fail to take action to correct or remedy the mistake within a reasonable time can lose their ability to apply for U.S. Citizenship or even jeopardize their green card status.

How Does This Occur?

Green Card Issued Before a Priority Date is Current

Under U.S. immigration law, except for immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens, there are annual numerical limits on the number of green cards that can be issued to green card applicants. This applies to both employment-based and family-sponsored applicants. Due to these numerical limitations, the majority of green card applicants must wait their place in line until a green card is available to them. Only once an applicant has reached the front of the line (their priority date becomes current for final action on the Visa Bulletin), can they be eligible to receive a green card.

To know when a priority date is current for final action, applicants must regularly review the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin. A green card applicant’s priority date can be located on the I-130 or I-140 Form I-797 Notice of Action. The priority date generally falls on the date when the I-130 or I-140 immigrant petition was filed with USCIS. This date will determine your place in line in the green card queue.

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In recent months, President elect Donald Trump pledged to end birthright citizenship – a right that is protected by the 14th amendment.

In this video, Jacob Sapochnick answers an important question, can he really do it?

Keep on watching this video to learn more.

Overview

Donald Trump made national headlines during a recent interview with NBC news where he suggested he would end birthright citizenship with the passage of an executive order.

In his interview, he told the media, “We’re gonna have to get it changed, or maybe I would go back to the people, but we have to end it. We’re the only country that has it…I was going to do it through executive action…”

The Trump team is also reportedly seeking to crack down on birth tourism, a phenomenon, where expecting mothers travel to the United States to give birth for the purpose of obtaining U.S. Citizenship for their child.

What is Birthright Citizenship?

Birthright citizenship means that any person born on U.S. soil automatically becomes a U.S. Citizen. This right is enshrined in the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Interpretation of the 14th Amendment

Trump allies believe that the 14th amendment has been misinterpreted and does not apply to children born in the United States to undocumented parents. They also take the position that birthright citizenship does not apply to noncitizens entering the country on temporary visas like B1/B2 to give birth.

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In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick touches upon an important debate in immigration law, is it better to keep your green card or apply for U.S. Citizenship once you are eligible to do so?

This video will explain the types of circumstances in which an individual may prefer to maintain his or her green card and opt out of becoming a U.S. Citizen.

To learn more about this important topic, please keep watching.

Overview

Differences between U.S. Citizenship versus Permanent Residence

U.S. Citizenship

Applying for U.S. Citizenship leads to a variety of legal rights and privileges that are not available to permanent residents (green card holders). For some, these benefits are a compelling reason to apply for citizenship to have access to the wide variety of opportunities that are only available to naturalized citizens.

Some of these benefits include but are not limited to:

  1. Having the Right to Vote in state and federal elections
  2. Applying to federal jobs that are only available to U.S. Citizens such as law enforcement positions, and occupations that require a high security clearance such as working in the defense industry or for the U.S. military
  3. Sponsorship of Family Members: U.S. Citizens can petition to immigrate their immediate relatives to the United States without being subject to the numerical limitations of the Visa Bulletin. Permanent residents on the other hand may only petition for certain relatives and such applications are subject to numerical limitations.
  4. International Travel Benefits: U.S. Citizens may also engage in international travel without having to worry about placing their legal status in jeopardy. Unlike citizens, permanent residents must maintain continuous residence and physical presence in the United States, or risk losing their immigration status
  5. Criminal Offenses: Certain criminal offenses can lead to the deportation of a green card holder as well as other serious issues including being permanently barred from entering the U.S. that do not affect U.S. Citizens in the same manner.

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Have you ever wondered why new immigration cases are being approved faster than older pending cases? If so, then you may be interested to learn why this is happening, as well as how the review process is conducted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and what you can do if you are facing this situation.

If you would like to know more about this topic, we invite you to watch our video.

Overview

Q: My case has been pending with USCIS for several months. I have recently learned that USCIS has been giving recently filed cases priority over older cases, why is that?

USCIS Review Process

To understand this issue, let’s first discuss how USCIS accepts and reviews cases once they are received by the agency.

After you submit your application including your forms and filing fees, the first thing USCIS will do is input the receipt of your application into their system and send a notice to you by mail confirming the date your materials were received and accepted as a complete filing. This receipt is known as the Notice of Action.

USCIS will create a new file and assign a case number to your application which will appear on your Notice of Action, which you can use to check the status of your application on the USCIS website and by telephone.

Your case will then be sorted and routed to the appropriate service center or field office that will oversee the evaluation of your application. The office that will be given jurisdiction over your case is determined by a number of factors including but not limited to, your case type, agency workloads, and the date of receipt.

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If you recently became a naturalized U.S. Citizen, congratulations on accomplishing this huge milestone! Now that you have passed your citizenship interview, you will want to apply for a U.S. passport. In this short video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick, explains everything you need to know about how to apply for your new passport in 2024.

Did you know? As a U.S. passport holder, you can travel to more than 180 countries all over the world without having to obtain a visa. Additionally, one of the biggest perks of becoming a U.S. Citizen is that you can live abroad for as long as you want without worrying about your immigration status.

If this topic interests you, please keep on watching our video.

Overview

When should I apply for a U.S. Passport?

Our office typically recommends that new U.S. Citizens apply for their passport as soon as they attend the oath of allegiance ceremony and receive their naturalization certificate.

How long does it take to receive a U.S. passport after applying?

The current regular processing time for a U.S. passport to be issued is 8 to 12 weeks. Those who need a passport sooner can apply for expedited processing of their passport for an additional fee. Expedited processing times are 4 to 6 weeks. Those who need to travel within 14 calendar days, can apply for an emergency passport and receive it within several days, however appointments for emergency passports are very difficult to obtain.

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In this blog post, we provide you with the latest details regarding upcoming changes to the N-400 Application for Naturalization in the new year. USCIS recently announced that it is planning to conduct trial testing of a newly redesigned naturalization examination that seeks to update the civics component of the N-400 examination, and potentially introduce a new English-speaking element to the examination. Trial testing is expected to begin in January 2023 and last for a period of 5 months.

Want to know more? Just keep on watching.

Did you know? During your naturalization interview, you will be asked to undergo a naturalization examination which is made up of two components, an English, and civics test. During the English examination, you must demonstrate an understanding of the English language and the ability to read, write, and speak basic English. During the civics test, you will be asked to answer questions about American government and history.

Overview

As you might be aware, this year the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revealed that it received the highest number of naturalization applications since fiscal year 2008. According to statistics, approximately 1,047,000 permanent residents became U.S. Citizens in 2022, with naturalization applications rebounding to pre-pandemic levels.

What are the proposed changes to the N-400 Application for Naturalization?

Starting in January 2023, USCIS will conduct trial testing to introduce a new standardized English-speaking test as part of the requirement to demonstrate an understanding of the English language.

Additionally, the trial testing will include an updated civics examination with new content and a new multiple-choice format. The reading and writing portions of the English examination will remain unchanged.

USCIS will conduct the trial testing with volunteer community-based organizations (CBOs) that work with immigrant English language learners and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) preparing for naturalization.

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