Overview

• The Aug. 22 policy memo ends the general waiver in place since 1991 and directs officers to decide case by case whether to pursue personal investigations.
• Checks may include interviews with neighbors, coworkers and employers to assess statutory criteria such as good moral character and attachment to the Constitution.
• USCIS will request or accept testimonial letters from people who know the applicant, with proactive submissions suggested to reduce follow-up inquiries.
• Officers retain discretion to waive investigations, and USCIS says it will update its policy manual to reflect the change.
• The move accompanies a shift to holistic moral-character reviews and expanded ideology and social-media screening, which critics say is labor-intensive and yields limited useful information.