Anti-American behavior , social media posts will now not go unnoticed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services , as the Department of Homeland Security has ordered the USCIS to apply Donald Trump's America First policy to immigration benefits. "America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies," USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragresser told The Washington Times. "Immigration benefits — including to live and work in the United States — remain a privilege, not a right."
What will be considered as anti-American activities?
Espousing antisemitism Posting anti-American rhetoric on social media. Expressing common cause with a terrorist organization. Past use of Biden-era parole programs will be checked. Any irregularities found will be flagged.
Who are to be affected by the new rules?
The USCIS said any cases where officers have discretion in deciding applications will come under these new rules. These include adjustment of status, where someone can apply for a green card from within the US, or Temporary Protected Status, where someone here illegally or on a short-term visa can apply for a deportation amnesty.
USCIS said it is directing officers to take into account instances where an applicant has promoted or espoused ideologies that are anti-American or antisemitic, or who support or endorse organizations that hold those views.
The new guidance is effective immediately and applies both to new applications and any that are currently pending, the Washington Times reported.
The new rules come as USCIS ordered officers to check for 'good moral character' of the applicants before giving out citizenship. “Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct,” the update said. By good moral character, USCIS specified that they would check for an individual's community involvement, family caregiving and ties, educational attainment, stable and lawful employment, tax status etc.
USCIS is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and fully support the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures.
— USCIS (@USCIS) August 19, 2025
We’ve updated our policy guidance to ensure our officers are aware of the factors they may consider in…
What will be considered as anti-American activities?
Who are to be affected by the new rules?
The USCIS said any cases where officers have discretion in deciding applications will come under these new rules. These include adjustment of status, where someone can apply for a green card from within the US, or Temporary Protected Status, where someone here illegally or on a short-term visa can apply for a deportation amnesty.
USCIS said it is directing officers to take into account instances where an applicant has promoted or espoused ideologies that are anti-American or antisemitic, or who support or endorse organizations that hold those views.
The new guidance is effective immediately and applies both to new applications and any that are currently pending, the Washington Times reported.
The new rules come as USCIS ordered officers to check for 'good moral character' of the applicants before giving out citizenship. “Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct,” the update said. By good moral character, USCIS specified that they would check for an individual's community involvement, family caregiving and ties, educational attainment, stable and lawful employment, tax status etc.
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