Immigration benefits remain a privilege, not a right, USCIS spokesperson Tragesser said.
On August 19, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced significant updates to its criteria for granting immigration benefits, emphasizing that these benefits are privileges, not rights, reports 24brussels.
This federal body is revising its policy manual to redefine the factors that officers consider in applications requiring discretion. The new guidelines include participation in organizations opposing U.S. policies or linked to terrorism, alongside antisemitic activities, as key considerations.
Additionally, USCIS introduced anti-U.S. actions as a factor to be verified through social media checks, labeling it “an overwhelmingly negative factor” in discretionary assessments by immigration officials.
USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser stated, “Immigration benefits should not be granted to those who despise this country… Immigration benefits, including living and working in the U.S., remain a privilege, not a right.” He emphasized that thorough investigations would be conducted in each case wherever feasible.
The announcement comes in the wake of a memorandum requiring foreign applicants for citizenship to demonstrate that they “have been and continue to be persons of good moral character” (GMC). The memo indicates that USCIS officers will now evaluate an applicant’s positive contributions, rather than merely the absence of misconduct.
Positive attributes considered may include community involvement, educational accomplishments, family ties, a stable and legal employment history, and responsible financial behavior such as tax payments. Furthermore, officers may broaden the definition of disqualifying factors at their discretion, potentially including repeated traffic offenses.
