Significant Decline in Citizenship Approvals

The approval rate for immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship has decreased by about 50 percent, largely due to a stringent vetting process established by President Trump’s administration at the Department of Homeland Security.

This drop in immigration numbers might compel companies to raise wages and boost investment in technology that enhances productivity in workplaces. Additionally, it could lead to lower housing costs, making it simpler for American families to marry and raise children.

According to recent statistics from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), while there were notable fluctuations in naturalization applications during 2025, the total number of citizenship applications saw a marked decline compared to 2024, which was the last year of Biden’s term. NPR reported on this trend.

“In the initial months of Trump’s second term, the administration registered a record number of naturalizations. Notably, in 2025, 88,488 applications were approved in a single month—the highest since USCIS began keeping track of monthly naturalization data in 2022,” NPR noted.

However, by January of this year, that figure plummeted to just 32,862, marking the lowest approval number ever recorded by USCIS.

There was a steep decline in the number of new citizenship applications as well. For instance, in October 2025, 169,159 individuals applied for citizenship, but by the end of November, that number dropped dramatically to 41,478.

A significant factor behind this fluctuating trend seems to be USCIS’s change in focus. A spokesperson indicated to NPR that the Trump administration is applying greater scrutiny to citizenship applicants from high-risk countries, warranting additional screening procedures.

According to USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser, “This includes re-administering the 2020 naturalization civics exam in 2025, enhancing English language requirements, and monitoring social media for anti-American activities, as well as reinstating neighborhood checks to verify that applicants exhibit good moral character and uphold loyalty to the Constitution.” He added that USCIS maintains a thorough adjudication process without shortcuts.

Beyond just the decline in legal immigrant naturalizations, illegal immigration has also seen a notable downturn.

It seems many immigrants rushed to obtain citizenship during the early Trump administration years, but the trend reversed as more restrictions and stricter evaluations of applicants emerged.