Trump administration to more heavily scrutinize "good moral character" requirement for U.S. citizenship
Source: CBS News
Updated on: August 16, 2025 / 12:28 PM EDT
The Trump administration is signaling it will more heavily scrutinize applications filed by legal immigrants seeking American citizenship, in its latest effort to tighten access to U.S. immigration benefits. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency overseeing the country's legal immigration system, instructed officers on Friday to consider additional factors when determining whether immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship have a "good moral character."
Typically, legal immigrants with U.S. permanent residency, also known as a green card, can apply for naturalized American citizenship after a 3- or 5-year period, depending on their case. Demonstrating "a good moral character" has long been one of the requirements in U.S. immigration law for American citizenship, alongside passing English and civics tests.
For decades, under Republican and Democratic administrations, the "good moral character" assessment has generally been satisfied if applicants don't have any of the criminal offenses or disqualifying conduct outlined in U.S. immigration law. Those disqualifying factors range from violent crimes like murder and aggravated felonies to drug offenses and being a "habitual drunkard."
But a policy issued Friday by USCIS expands the "good moral character" assessment, saying that determination must involve "more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing." Instead, the review, the agency told its officers, should be "a holistic assessment of an alien's behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character."
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-uscis-ctizenship-good-moral-character-scrutinize/
Brought to you by the most craven immoral criminals to crawl on the face of the earth.
That should send Kegsbreath and Jerkie Pirro-ette packing, eh?


vapor2
(3,164 posts)The Blue Flower
(6,190 posts)This is nuts.
LetMyPeopleVote
(170,373 posts)Hornedfrog2000
(866 posts)Sex trade industry just like his grandson the pedophile, rapist trump?
Tree Lady
(12,766 posts)Since he has no moral character at all.
Demovictory9
(37,113 posts)twodogsbarking
(16,005 posts)Cha
(314,640 posts)Sexual Abuse, and Criminal 34 Counts of Felony in everyone's face.
OMG
irony is dead.
😵
D. Spaulding
(400 posts)for his cabinet and advisors.
ret5hd
(21,812 posts)skin pics to USCIS.
just sayin.
Puppyjive
(849 posts)You can't reason with stupidity.
homegirl
(1,861 posts)Everything makes sense when you remember what Lawrence O'Donnell said a couple of nights ago.
He said trump is a child, and we have never had a child as president before. The corporate media keeps making the mistake of trying to attribute adult motives to his actions.
And I don't think O'Donnell was talking about a teenager either. Trump is literally like a four or five year old. So he wants to be liked by those he perceives as "strong". He wants praise. He wants to be told he's right. So the giddy clapping on the runway and the stupid flattery by putin about the 2020 election were all big wins in his juvenile mind.
Just mind boggling when you think about it.
tanyev
(47,913 posts)And also sufficient funds with which to demonstrate their affection.
PSPS
(14,967 posts)That's what they do in north korea
Paladin
(31,679 posts)You just can't make up this sort of vile bullshit. Do a fucking "cursory mechanical review" of trump and try to convince me he's worthy of U.S. citizenship...
beyondtimes
(17 posts)Grab them by the good moral character because when you have good moral character they just let you do it!!
sinkingfeeling
(56,452 posts)Just Jerome
(354 posts)I
But
.
It
..
Who
republianmushroom
(21,491 posts)Republicans, good moral character in the same breath. You are so stroking me.
aggiesal
(10,343 posts)I think he forgot to take his Irony Deficient tablets this morning, AGAIN!
pfitz59
(11,910 posts)None of the trumpies have morals.
Beartracks
(14,117 posts)Employees had to sign statements that they wouldn't smoke or drink even when not at work -- so "good moral character" as viewed through a particular very conservative Christian lens.
===========
tavernier
(13,974 posts)




















Thats all Ive got to say about Rumps good moral character check.
JT45242
(3,641 posts)Just asking, I know a soft core porn star who is wondering.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(129,129 posts)Dem2theMax
(11,003 posts)That's their proof of 'good moral character.'
Every time you're sure they've reached the bottom,
they prove there's another bottom.
Here's hoping they all end up on the bottom,
just like this, (sans life ring.)
lonely bird
(2,554 posts)This fucking administration wants immigrants to adhere to societal norms? Like serial lying, serial fraud in business dealing, serial stupidity, xenophobia, Christian nationalism, fascism? Those norms?
I just cant with these people.
Ocelot II
(127,468 posts)Trump the con man, sex pest, pedophile and convicted felon; Kegbreath the drunk; Noem the puppy murderer; Bondi the bribe-taker; Kennedy the science-denying crackpot, for starters? Deport the lot of them.
Aviation Pro
(14,830 posts)You fucking pedophile.
underpants
(193,275 posts)

Diraven
(1,615 posts)To exclude non-whites, non-Christians, non-heterosexuals, and non-conservatives.
bmichaelh
(968 posts)What they mean is loyalty to Trump.
There are about 20 to 30 quotations from Shakespeare that could apply to Donald Trump and his lack of moral character.
For example:
PAROLES
He will lie, sir, with such volubility
that you would think truth were a fool.
--Shakespeare, Alls Well That Ends Well 4.3.248-49
ADRIANA
Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind,
Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.
--Shakespeare, Comedy of Errors 4.2.21-22
MENENIUS
There is no more
mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger.
--Shakespeare, Coriolanus 5.4.28-29
Etc. Etc.
Unfortunately, his cabinet tries to emulate Trump's viciousness and mercilessness.
AllaN01Bear
(27,496 posts)JHB
(37,837 posts)The aggregate of good moral character within the Trump administration is still a negative number. And not a single one of them is in the "plus" range.
LuckyLib
(7,026 posts)🤣
BradBo
(788 posts)electric_blue68
(24,041 posts)LisaL
(47,326 posts)for US presidents.
Botany
(75,386 posts)
. have sex (rape) with girls that look like her. Btw I really do think that Donny has had
sex with Ivanka.
Martin68
(26,519 posts)malthaussen
(18,293 posts)Evolve Dammit
(21,254 posts)Jean Genie
(522 posts)Good moral character? Republicans? Trump's minions? What a joke!
OldBaldy1701E
(9,153 posts)That's a lot of words just to say 'know your place and don't question the white folks'.

YoshidaYui
(44,541 posts)he's always been a fucking liar..