- Naturalization rates in Chicago plunged by eighty percent in the first half of twenty twenty-six.
- National denial rates for citizenship surpassed eighteen percent as federal review standards tightened.
- A proposed fee hike could increase application costs to one thousand three hundred thirty dollars.
Federal citizenship data shows Chicago-area naturalizations fell by more than 80% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024, while nationwide case completions and application receipts also dropped. The decline came as the Chicago Field Office faced sharply fewer interviews and the federal government adopted stricter standards for citizenship reviews.
The Chicago office ranked among the busiest in the country in 2024, handling 3.3% of all naturalizations. Local organizations now report that scheduled interviews have fallen by as much as 99% from a year earlier.
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The national figures point to a broader slowdown. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, completed 27,569 naturalization applications in April 2026, compared with more than 97,000 in April 2025.
Denials increased as completions declined. The denial rate for N-400 applications reached 18% in April 2026, more than double the April 2025 rate.
Chicago’s decline comes as the national pipeline contracts
The agency received an average of 47,500 N-400 forms per month between January and May 2026. That was nearly 50% below the average of 89,350 received during the same period in 2024.
Processing also took longer. The national median time for an N-400 reached 11.5 months in March 2026, while field offices in major metropolitan areas, including New York and Los Angeles, reported backlogs of up to 24 months.
Chicago-area applicants and community organizations describe the delay as indefinite. The local interview reductions have left fewer cases moving toward the final naturalization ceremony.
The National Partnership for New Americans called the delays and higher denial rates “unprecedented and unwarranted.” The group’s assessment came as applicants faced a process that included a revised civics test and broader reviews of personal conduct.
A larger civics test and broader conduct reviews changed the process
A revised naturalization exam took effect on October 20, 2025. The test expanded its question pool to 128 items and required applicants to answer 12 of 20 questions correctly to pass.
An August 2025 policy memo also directed officers to examine an applicant’s conduct more broadly. Rather than focusing only on whether someone had a criminal record, officers now assess “patterns of behavior” across the person’s history.
The changes affect the discretionary judgments officers make during adjudication.
A separate May 2026 policy addressed adjustment of status, describing it as “extraordinary relief.” The policy directs the agency to treat adjustment of status as a discretionary benefit and often requires immigrants to return to their home countries to seek permanent residence through consular processing.
That policy does not itself measure the Chicago citizenship decline. It forms part of the broader set of immigration changes introduced in late 2025 and early 2026.
Officials describe the changes as an integrity campaign
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said May 22 that the administration’s approach would redirect agency resources while enforcing the law.
“This policy allows for our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes. Following the law. frees up limited USCIS resources to focus on processing other cases that fall under its purview, including visas for victims of violent crime and human trafficking, naturalization applications, and other priorities.”
The Justice Department has separately pursued denaturalization cases involving alleged concealment of criminal histories or misrepresentations during the citizenship process. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said May 8 that people who intentionally concealed criminal histories or misrepresented themselves would face prosecution under the law.
“The Trump administration is taking action to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system. Those who intentionally concealed their criminal histories or misrepresented themselves during the naturalization process will face the fullest extent of the law.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the Justice Department continued filing denaturalization actions at what he described as record speeds.
“This Department of Justice continues to file denaturalization actions at record speeds to restore integrity in our naturalization process.”
The denaturalization campaign has contributed to what advocacy organizations describe as a climate of fear in naturalized communities. The cases target prior “material misrepresentations,” including allegations tied to minor offenses.
A proposed fee increase could add another barrier
A June 2026 proposal would raise N-400 filing fees to as much as $1,330 and eliminate most fee waivers. The proposal could increase the cost of applying for low-income immigrants at the same time that fewer applications are being completed.
The proposal appears in DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0265. It remains separate from the data showing the Chicago-area decline, which compares completed cases during the first halves of 2026 and 2024.
The reduced number of new citizens also affects eligibility to vote in federal elections. Applicants who remain in processing cannot complete the citizenship process until the agency approves their cases and they take the required oath.
Applicants facing extended delays, denials or questions about prior conduct may need individualized legal advice. The consequences can vary with immigration history, criminal records, prior statements and the location of the field office handling the case.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
