On Friday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a memo calling for a more “rigorous, holistic and comprehensive” approach to evaluating those applying for naturalization, stating that “good moral character” is defined by an individual’s “behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions.” According to the memo, USCIS officers have been instructed to judge “on a case-by-case basis.”
The USCIS memo cites “family caregiving, responsibility, and ties in the United States” as examples of positive attributes, as well as educational achievement and long-term community involvement.