What to Know About “Americanism” and “Good Moral Character” During Immigration Applications

Immigrants must be more careful than ever when filling out immigration applications in Palm Beach County. The new administration is scrutinizing these applications more closely and placing a greater emphasis on concepts like “Americanism” and “good moral character.” If you’re approaching an immigration application, you might want to carefully plan out your next steps with an immigration lawyer to minimize potential issues.

Immigration Officials Announce Focus on Anti-American Activities

In August of 2025, the new administration announced that immigration officials would be reviewing immigration applications for any past activities deemed “anti-American.” Officials also noted that they would be combing through past social media posts to search for this type of content that the applicant might have posted, liked, or shared. This is part of the larger vetting process that all applicants must go through.

The term “anti-Americanism” goes back to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which was created to prevent communists from emigrating to the United States. However, the definition of anti-Americanism has now been expanded to include many other types of expressions and content.

Without getting too far into specifics, those who criticize the actions of certain countries online may struggle to emigrate to the United States as a result of this vetting policy. Those who wish to steer clear of such issues might want to review their social media history for all problematic posts and content. Deleting such content could prove advantageous, although it’s important to understand that nothing is ever truly “deleted” once it has been posted online.

What Does “Good Moral Character” Mean During Immigration Applications?

CBS News also recently noted an expansion of the definition of “good moral character” in the context of immigration. For years, the widely accepted definition of this phrase was the absence of a notable criminal record. However, immigration officials today seem to be defining the phrase in a more vague, open-ended way.

USCIS says that in order to determine good moral character, officers should consider a more holistic overview of the applicant’s behavior, including “adherence to social norms” and “positive contributions” to society. This might include community involvement, family ties, educational degrees, and stable careers. There is also a suggestion that paying taxes on time could help applicants demonstrate good moral character.

With ever-changing policies and requirements for applicants, it might be a good idea to keep a watchful eye on similar developments in the future. This could help applicants tailor their applications to meet the most up-to-date requirements.

Can an Immigration Lawyer in Palm Beach County Help Me With My Application? 

While there is no legal requirement to hire a Palm Beach County immigration lawyer when filling out your application, their guidance could be particularly helpful in the modern era. Immigration officials are viewing applications with much more scrutiny, and a single mistake could lead to negative outcomes. To plan out your immigration application with confidence, contact The Devore Law Group today.

Sources: 

cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-uscis-ctizenship-good-moral-character-scrutinize/

theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/19/immigration-social-media