Trump Administration to Interview Neighbors and Colleagues of U.S. Citizenship Applicants

The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that it will resume the process of directly interviewing neighbors and workplace colleagues of citizenship applicants for the first time in over 30 years.

According to Politico and other sources on August 26 (local time), the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), under the Department of Homeland Security, stated in a policy memorandum dated August 22 and released on this day that it will end the longstanding practice of exempting foreign nationals applying for naturalization from personal background investigations.

AP Yonhap News

Under a law enacted in 1965, U.S. immigration authorities had been required to investigate citizenship applicants' neighbors and workplace colleagues. However, this requirement was effectively discontinued in 1991 when the system was exempted, rendering it obsolete in practice. Instead, authorities have relied on background checks conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). With USCIS now ending the exemption, the neighbor investigation system has been revived for the first time in over 30 years, since the administration of George H. W. Bush (1989-1993).

Joseph Edlow, Director of USCIS, said in a statement, "The American people can be reassured that USCIS is fulfilling its responsibility to ensure that foreign nationals undergo proper scrutiny, possess good moral character, adhere to the U.S. Constitution, and are supportive of the order and well-being of the United States."

USCIS stated that citizenship applicants may be required to submit letters of recommendation from neighbors, employers, workplace colleagues, or business associates who know them and can provide accurate information regarding the requirements for naturalization. These letters of recommendation are expected to be used by the authorities to determine whether to conduct in-person investigations of the applicant's workplace and living environment.

Foreign media outlets reported that USCIS officials may visit the homes or workplaces of citizenship applicants to conduct investigations.

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has significantly raised barriers to immigration, prioritizing an "America First" approach. He has reduced the permitted stay for student visa holders and tightened requirements for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery by mandating that applicants possess a valid passport at the time of application. On August 15, USCIS also significantly expanded the moral character verification requirements for acquiring citizenship.