An applicant for adjustment of status (form I-485) or naturalization (form N-400) may face denial on two broad legal grounds: mandatory and discretionary. Understanding when a denial is compelled by statute, as opposed to when it reflects a negative exercise of discretion, is essential for...
On September 17, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the implementation of the new 2025 Civics Test for naturalization, replacing the 2008 version of the test. Here are the key points you need to know about the new test:Approximately 75 percent...
On August 25, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is resuming “neighborhood” investigations of certain individuals applying for naturalization. This policy change ends the agency's over three-decade long practice of waiving these investigations. Overview of Neighborhood Investigations The Immigration and Nationality Act...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum on 15.Aug.2025, announcing changes to how "good moral character" is evaluated for naturalization applicants. The new policy restores a prior totality of the circumstances approach for good moral character determinations. Overview of Good Moral Character...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued a memorandum outlining enforcement priorities developed based on the executive orders issued by Donald Trump since taking office. While the memo deals with multiple areas, Murthy Law Firm attorneys are especially concerned about the DOJ prioritization of...
Today, a federal judge issued a new nationwide injunction against Donald Trump’s executive order that attempted to severely limit who is eligible for birthright citizenship. The judge issued this injection after certifying the suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as a class...
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in the lawsuit challenging President Trump’s executive order (EO) that limits birthright citizenship. Trump issued the EO immediately after taking office in January 2025, severely limiting who automatically becomes a U.S. citizen upon being born in the...
Certain classes of U.S. citizens who were not born in the United States are eligible to file an application for certificate of citizenship (form N-600). While this certificate does not directly grant an immigration benefit, it does provide a certificate that evidences the date the...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly frozen the Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) program under which noncitizens could request a social security number on various U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forms, including Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; Form I-485, Application to...
When an individual applies for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status (commonly, a green card) in the United States, certain family members may also qualify for LPR status as derivative beneficiaries. Such family members typically include the principal applicant’s spouse and any unmarried children under the...
