USCIS Issues Policy Memo Raising "Good Moral Character" Bar for Naturalization — Tax Compliance, Education, Community Involvement Required (2025-08-15)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issues a policy memorandum titled "Restoring a Rigorous, Holistic, and Comprehensive Good Moral Character Evaluation Standard for Aliens Applying for Naturalization." The memo substantially raises the bar for positive findings of good moral character, placing greater emphasis on factors including compliance with tax obligations, educational attainment, and community involvement. The policy effectively makes it harder for immigrants to qualify for naturalization while also expanding the grounds on which existing citizens can have their citizenship challenged retrospectively.