Trump To Resume Neighborhood Verifications for Naturalization Applications

A few days ago, the Trump administration, through a memorandum from USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), authorized immigration officers to individually decide on the need to visit the neighborhoods of citizenship applicants, resuming a program that existed more than 30 years ago called “Neighborhood Verifications,” which consists of interviewing the applicant's neighbors, coworkers, employers, etc. to verify that they meet the legal requirement of “good moral character” to become a U.S. citizen.

The memo states that they can use statements from people who know the applicant to indicate their moral character. Obviously, we believe that this will further delay the process, and it is further complicated because, according to the Trump administration, participation in legal protests, for example in favor of civil rights, can be considered misconduct.

This is yet another example of how they are trying to complicate the lives of immigrants. Instead of encouraging people to become citizens, they want to make it more difficult.

GOOD NEWS! THE ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER IN FLORIDA MAY BE CLOSED 

There is good news! After the lawsuit filed in federal court against the existence of this detention center, last week Judge Kathleen Williams ordered the suspension of the transfer of more detainees to these facilities. She also ordered that the federal government must make many changes, eliminating electrical, heating, water, and other facilities, making it impossible to keep these facilities open. Obviously, Trump and the Republicans, especially Governor DeSantis, who is another anti-immigrant racist, are very upset with the judge's ruling. This makes it impossible to keep these facilities open. Obviously, Trump and the Republicans, especially Governor DeSantis, who is another anti-immigrant racist, are very upset with the judge's ruling.

In the lawsuit filed by the Miccosukee Native American tribe and other pro-environmental groups, they argued that any construction and operation affecting the Everglades swamp area should be stopped without complying with federal environmental laws, which are numerous and very strict. The lawsuit states that the prison threatened environmentally sensitive wetlands that are home to protected plants and animals and would undermine billions of dollars invested over decades in environmental restoration.

In a letter sent last week to the rabbi of South Florida who was requesting information related to the provision of chaplaincy services at the center, one of the officials in charge of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said that “we are probably going to be down to 0 individuals within a few days.” Although the government said it would appeal the case, at least for now it appears that it cannot continue without violating the law and the judge's decision.

This is yet another example of how Trump and his allies, including Governor Ron DeSantis, are willing to violate any law, whether environmental or any other type of protection, without considering how it will affect people and the environment, as long as they can harm immigrants.

We congratulate the judge for making the right decision and hope that this place with such inhumane conditions, which has caused so much harm to the people detained there, will be closed very soon, although we know that unfortunately there will be other detention centers just as horrible.