It is not only becoming tough for the green card holders to attain US citizenship through the process of Naturalization but also to maintain the lawful permanent resident status. Naturalization is the process that grants U.S. citizenship to lawful permanent residents (LPRs) or green card holders who fulfill requirements established by Congress and enumerated in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
SCAM ACT
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has introduced the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act to clarify what evidence the government can use when proving an individual did not meet the lawful requirements at the time of their naturalization.
The bill also creates a path to denaturalize anyone who, within 10 years of their naturalization, is convicted of fraud against the government, found to have joined or affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization, or is convicted of an aggravated felony or espionage. Such denaturalization will have a retroactive effect, and the certificate of naturalization shall be treated as void from the date on which it was issued.
Naturalization Process
In general, U.S. immigration policy gives all green card holders an opportunity to naturalize, and doing so is voluntary. To qualify for citizenship, LPRs in most cases must have resided continuously in the United States for five years, show they possess good moral character, demonstrate understanding of the English language, and pass a U.S. government and history examination, which is part of their naturalization interview.
Naturalized immigrants obtain significant rights and privileges, such as the right to vote, protection from deportation in most cases, access to certain public-sector employment, and the opportunity to travel with a US passport. US citizens have an edge over LPRs when it comes to sponsoring relatives for immigration to the United States. In FY2023, 878,500 new US citizens were naturalized.
India is America’s second-largest supplier of new citizens, after Mexico. According to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, over 66,000 Indians became American citizens in 2022.
Risks Faced by Green Card Holders
Green card holders who are now American citizens may risk losing their citizenship, as the US Department of Justice has prioritized denaturalization and revocation of US citizenship. There have been cases where US authorities asked a court to strip a citizen of her citizenship after she pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return over five years ago. The citizen had been through a lengthy process to obtain citizenship.
Further, the US will now require lawful permanent residents to undergo ‘neighbourhood investigations’ before obtaining citizenship, which will involve testimonial letters from neighbours, employers, co-workers, and business associates.
Finally, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test for green card holders seeking U.S. citizenship starting October 20, 2025.
This new test will pose greater challenges, including a higher number of questions that require a deeper understanding of American history, government, and politics. However, applicants who have applied for Naturalization before this date will still have the option to take the older 2008 version of the test.