U.S. citizenship approvals have taken an unprecedented nosedive, with South Florida—home to the largest Cuban exile community—experiencing some of the steepest declines nationwide. This alarming trend is highlighted by official data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as analyzed by Newsweek and VisaVerge.
In Miami, the USCIS office approved merely 68% of naturalization applications (Form N-400) between April and June 2026, a significant drop from the 87% approval rate during the same period the previous year. Similarly, the Oakland Park office in Broward saw its approval rate plunge from 84% to 65%, leaving 6,260 cases pending and marking an 84% decrease in total decisions.
Nationwide Impact of Citizenship Approval Declines
The national landscape mirrors this concerning trend. According to VisaVerge's analysis of USCIS's quarterly data, N-400 approvals plummeted by 76% from April to June 2026, falling from 241,326 in 2025 to only 57,697. The national approval rate decreased from 91.2% to 81.8%, while pending applications surged by 40%, surpassing 742,138.
This dramatic decline in naturalization approvals is but one facet of the broader changes impacting immigrants in the U.S. Stay informed on visas, USCIS updates, and immigration processes through our U.S. Immigration section.
Challenges in Major Urban USCIS Offices
Monthly data from August, as reported by immigration-analytics.com, revealed that USCIS approved only 15,349 applications that month, with a backlog of 813,453 cases and an average processing time of 12.7 months. In August, the agency received 54,492 new applications, roughly 3.5 times the number of cases resolved.
Significant declines were recorded in offices located in major cities with high immigrant populations. San Jose, California, reduced its decisions by 96%; Baltimore and San Francisco by 93%; Seattle by 87%; and Chicago by 86%.
Factors Contributing to the Approval Collapse
Two structural factors are primarily responsible for this collapse. On April 27, USCIS implemented the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) background check system, which requires the resubmission of fingerprint records for millions of applicants, temporarily halting case adjudications.
Additionally, the Trump administration’s stricter naturalization criteria have compounded the issue. This includes the reintroduction of the 2020 civics test (requiring 12 correct answers out of 20), more stringent English requirements, scrutiny of social media for "anti-American activities," and, as of August 25, interviews with neighbors, employers, and coworkers to assess an applicant’s moral character.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended these measures to Newsweek, asserting, "Naturalization is a privilege, not a right. It shouldn't be easy to obtain, and we certainly aren't going to give it away," according to a spokesperson.
The spokesperson also indicated efforts to reverse an "automatic approval policy" for naturalization applications that was enacted during the Biden administration.
Criticism and Concerns from Advocacy Groups
The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) has rejected this rationale. Executive Director Nicole Melaku accused the administration of employing a deliberate strategy: "When I analyze the data, I see only a rapid denial or annulment of application processing, and we can conclude it's part of a strategy to limit access to naturalization and, consequently, civic participation."
Implications for Cuban Community Amid Election Season
With midterm elections on November 3rd fast approaching, thousands of Cuban permanent residents in Miami-Dade and Broward with pending N-400 applications will be unable to vote, as the Miami-Dade voter registration deadline passed on October 5th. According to the Pew Research Center, 55% of naturalized U.S. voters reside in Florida, Texas, California, and New York.
The timing is particularly critical for the Cuban community. Thousands of Cubans who gained residency through the Cuban Adjustment Act are now reaching the five-year permanent residency requirement to apply for citizenship, viewing it as vital protection against stricter immigration policies.
Adam Klein, a former senior DHS official, cautioned Newsweek that these delays effectively serve as denials: "USCIS doesn't need to deny citizenship to affect someone's voting ability. Delaying an eligible applicant's naturalization until after an election can have the same practical effect."
If the pace seen in August continues, the national backlog could exceed 900,000 pending applications by the end of November.
Understanding the Decline in U.S. Citizenship Approvals
What factors are causing the decline in U.S. citizenship approvals?
The decline is attributed to the implementation of the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, which has delayed case processing, and stricter naturalization criteria under the Trump administration, including more rigorous English and civics tests, and increased scrutiny of applicants' backgrounds.
How has the decline in citizenship approvals affected the Cuban community in the U.S.?
The decline has left many Cuban permanent residents unable to vote in upcoming elections, as delays have prevented the processing of their naturalization applications in time for voter registration deadlines.
What measures is the Department of Homeland Security taking regarding naturalization applications?
The DHS is defending the stricter measures, asserting that naturalization is a privilege, not a right, and is working to reverse what it calls an "automatic approval policy" from the previous administration.