Naturalization Approvals Plummet Amidst Stricter USCIS Reviews

Naturalization Approvals Decline Amidst Stricter USCIS Reviews

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has highlighted a significant drop in naturalization approvals as a key achievement of its immigration enforcement agenda. Between January 2025 and July 2026, naturalization approvals saw a sharp decrease of 78%. This period also saw over 742,000 naturalization applications awaiting a decision. The agency has also proposed substantial increases to filing fees for naturalization applications, a move that is still undergoing the required rulemaking process.

The DHS has framed these lower immigration and naturalization figures as direct results of the current administration’s policies. On October 2, 2026, the department announced what it called “Net negative migration for the first time in HALF a CENTURY,” presenting it as a major victory. This announcement was accompanied by other statistics, including a 75% decrease in naturalizations, 3.3 million removals, 250,000 revoked visas, and an asylum denial rate of 94%. The department also noted the expansion of 287(g) agreements and travel bans from 39 countries.

USCIS Implements More Rigorous Reviews

A National Foundation for American Policy analysis revealed that naturalization approvals fell by 78% from January 2025 to July 2026. During the same timeframe, the denial rate for these applications rose from 8.4% to 20.1%. Monthly approval numbers, which were around 70,000 in 2024 and 2025, dropped to approximately 23,000 in 2026, with only 16,514 applications approved in July. The backlog of pending naturalization applications also grew, reaching over 742,000 by the end of June 2026, compared to about 463,000 in June 2024. Projections suggest that USCIS is on track to adjudicate about 6.6 million applications in 2026, the lowest number since 2014, with some analyses indicating a record 12.1 million pending cases.

USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler stated that the agency is now conducting “more rigorous reviews” and defended these changes. He explained that the previous administration had prioritized quick approvals with minimal vetting, whereas the current administration is focused on implementing thorough screening and vetting processes. USCIS has emphasized that it will not compromise on the integrity of the naturalization process.

Changes to the Naturalization Process

An August 15, 2025, memo directed USCIS adjudicators to adopt a “holistic approach” when reviewing naturalization cases. This approach requires considering an applicant’s positive attributes alongside the absence of negative factors. USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow also updated the civics test. Starting October 20, 2025, applicants must correctly answer 12 out of up to 20 questions from a pool of 128. The agency has also increased social media screening and revived neighborhood investigations to assess applicants’ moral character.

Furthermore, DHS has proposed increasing the fees for naturalization applications. Under this proposal, online filing fees would rise from $710 to $1,280, and paper filing fees would increase from $760 to $1,330. This proposal is subject to the standard rulemaking procedures. The proposed changes also include a fee increase for Form N-336, which is used to request a hearing after a denied naturalization application. Additionally, the proposal aims to eliminate fee waivers and reduced fees for low-income applicants, which the agency states is part of its commitment to rigorous screening.

Impact of Slower Adjudications on Applicants

In Ohio, immigration attorneys have observed that canceled ceremonies and slower adjudications are part of a broader strategy to make obtaining citizenship more difficult. Thirteen naturalization ceremonies in the Cleveland area were canceled in 2026, affecting nearly all ceremonies scheduled between May and October. A separate “hold and review” policy also halted the progress of applicants from certain countries seeking visas, green cards, or citizenship. A federal court in California later overturned this policy, which had impacted individuals from 39 countries, on August 24, 2026. USCIS has stated that it has implemented reforms to ensure that U.S. citizenship is granted only to those who meet the qualifications, emphasizing that naturalization is a privilege, not a right.

The administration has presented the decline in naturalization numbers as an intended outcome of its enforcement agenda. Critics, however, argue that these policies are designed to reduce legal immigration and naturalization rates. Projections from Third Way suggest that legal immigration could decrease by 33% to 50% by the end of the current presidential term. The reduction in naturalizations can have far-reaching effects beyond citizenship itself. Since naturalized citizens gain access to family-based immigration options later on, a sustained decline in naturalizations could also limit these pathways for family reunification. While the proposed fee increases are still pending regulatory approval, the changes to screening and testing processes are already influencing how applicants navigate the naturalization journey.

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