Fact-checking claim about number of immigrants becoming citizens under Trump

A top immigration official said that despite attacks against President Donald Trump and his administration claiming they "don’t like immigrants," the numbers say otherwise.

Ken Cuccinelli, recently named U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acting director, spoke to host Dana Perino on the July 7 edition of Fox News Sunday about the naturalization process for immigrants and described the culminating ceremony as "a very moving experience."

"How many of those people per year is America letting in right now?" Perino asked. 

"Well, last year, we were in the range of 850,000 and that was the most in five years. And this fiscal year we will pass that," Cuccinelli said. "People who come after the president and this administration, say, ‘Oh you know, you don't like immigrants.’ Well, we are letting more people become citizens than has happened in years."

Perino said she didn’t think people realize that. "No, they don’t," Cuccinelli responded.

Is it true that more immigrants are becoming U.S. citizens than has happened in years? In total numbers, yes. But the approval rate isn’t the highest it’s been in recent years. And the number Cuccinelli mentioned is inflated.

Generally, before becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, immigrants must pay a fee, pass a civics test and a background check, have lawful permanent residence for at least five years, and meet other criteria. The final step to becoming a U.S. citizen is taking an Oath of Allegiance to the United States at a naturalization ceremony.

PolitiFact asked USCIS for data backing Cuccinelli’s claim about the Trump administration letting more people become citizens than has happened in years.

In 2018, USCIS approved around 756,800 naturalization applications. That beat approval numbers in 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014. The last time naturalization approvals were higher than 2018 was 2013 — around 779,900.

In the Fox News Sunday interview, when asked about how many people were naturalized, Cuccinelli said "we were in the range of 850,000" in 2018. But that number refers to applications completed — both approved and denied. Around 849,500 applications were completed in 2018, according to USCIS’s report. 

Naturalization approvals in 2018 — 756,800 — weren’t that much higher than in 2016, the last full fiscal year of the Obama administration. In 2016, about 753,100 people were naturalized. That’s a less than 1% increase in absolute numbers of naturalizations from 2016 to 2018.

The report USCIS sent PolitiFact had not just total numbers of people who became U.S. citizens, but also the approval rates.

Featured Fact-check

Eric Hovde

stated on October 3, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter

"FEMA is out of money and doesn't have money to transfer to those people affected by the hurricane ... they used the money to assist illegal immigrants."

In both fiscal years 2017 and 2018, the approval rate was 89%. In 2016, 90%.

So while the total number of people approved in 2018 is higher than in five years, the approval rate is not.

Cuccinelli said, "We are letting more people become citizens than has happened in years," and that it was 850,000 people last year.

The 850,000 represents applications completed — both approved and denied.

In fiscal year 2018, about 756,800 people became naturalized U.S. citizens. That’s the highest number since 2013, when it was about 779,900. 

Of all naturalization applications completed in 2018, 89% were approved. It was the same percentage in 2017. In 2016, 90% of applications were approved.

Cuccinelli’s statement is partially accurate. We rate it Half True.