MPR News: “Fear of deportation and delays discourage some immigrants from seeking citizenship”

On May 19, 2026, Minnesota Public Radio reporter Sarah Thamer published an article on the current hesitancy many legal permanent residents are having about applying for citizenship. Despite their eligibility, Thamer reports that “fear, combined with policy changes and processing delays[,] is discouraging some eligible immigrants from applying for citizenship at all.” The policy changes include a new citizenship test with more questions and requiring a higher threshold of correct responses to pass. Naturalization application denials have also increased by 15% from 2024 to 2025, and USCIS is now taking months longer to schedule applications for their naturalization ceremonies after they have been approved during the USCIS interviews.

Read the article from Minnesota Public Radio here.