The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires naturalization applicants to demonstrate good moral character (GMC). Some offenses, such as murder and aggravated felony, can permanently bar applicants from establishing GMC. Lesser offenses can conditionally bar applicants from proving GMC, requiring them to wait until they have established the statutory period without an offense to reapply for naturalization. The conditional bars include controlled substance violations, offenses punished by incarceration of 180 days or more, and crimes involving moral turpitude, among others. The INA also lists “unlawful acts” as a conditional bar. Until recently, USCIS did not provide concrete guidelines for what constituted unlawful acts, which granted USCIS adjudication officers a great deal of discretion in determining GMC on a case-by-case basis.
In December 2019, USCIS updated its policy guidelines relating to unlawful acts that could prevent applicants from meeting the GMC requirement. The update detailed a list of example unlawful acts, including:
- bail jumping
- bank fraud
- conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
- failure to file or pay taxes
- false claim to U.S. citizenship
- falsification of records
- forgery uttering
- insurance fraud
- obstruction of justice
- sexual assault
- Social Security fraud
- unlawful harassment
- unlawful registration to vote
- unlawful voting
- violation of a U.S. embargo
USCIS emphasized that the examples provided do not represent an exhaustive list of unlawful acts, and USCIS officers will still analyze each case to determine whether an act adversely impacts an applicant’s GMC; however, the examples can help inform applicants whether their own behavior may qualify as an unlawful conditional bar to GMC and adversely affect their naturalization applications.
If you have questions on how unlawful acts may impact your naturalization application, contact Berardi Immigration Law to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys today!
Ready to have Berardi on your side?
Whether you’re a business looking to hire or a professional hoping to relocate, immigration law can be complicated. But you don’t have to do it alone. Put our experience to work for you.