The U.S. is approving citizenship applications at the fastest speed in years

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Links and context

  • Original article is from the LA Times; MSN version is used to avoid paywall, plus an archive link.
  • Commenters note the current approval rate is roughly back to 2014 levels.

Reasons for faster citizenship approvals

  • Article attributes the uptick to clearing a backlog that began under Trump and worsened during COVID.
  • Some suggest this is partly to get cases done before a possible Trump return, when things might slow again.
  • Others argue it’s not strictly partisan, pointing out the Biden administration’s general slowness on other priorities (e.g., net neutrality).
  • One explanation cites increased USCIS funding, higher fees, and long-delayed digitization, plus removal of Trump-era “roadblocks.”

Comparative immigration and deportation policy

  • Discussion of how Obama, Trump, and Biden compare on deportations, with emphasis on changing definitions (e.g., “encounter”) and strategic use of enforcement for negotiation leverage (e.g., “Gang of Eight,” DREAMers).
  • Debate on whether the US is especially “welcoming”: it leads in absolute immigrant numbers but is around OECD average by percentage.

Economic, demographic, and housing impacts

  • Several view immigration as a key US advantage and geopolitical tool versus China/Russia, helping offset low birth rates and support Social Security.
  • Others stress tradeoffs: wage pressure, higher housing demand, and “brain drain” harming sending countries.
  • Multiple comments tie housing crises in the US and Australia to underbuilding since 2008 and weak infrastructure investment.

Immigration systems in US vs other countries

  • Contrast between points-based systems (e.g., Australia) and US family-based, lottery-heavy, more ambiguous processes.
  • Some claim large-scale abuse of Australian student visas; others describe Australia’s strict and intrusive entry requirements for legitimate visitors.

Experiences with naturalization bureaucracy

  • Several report very fast recent citizenship processing (on the order of months, same-day oath), with courteous officers and moving ceremonies.
  • Others describe earlier experiences as slow and paperwork-heavy, especially green card stages.

Patriotism, legality, and voting power

  • Mixed views on overt patriotism: some find it inspiring and inclusive; others see it as irrational or performative.
  • Strong divide on expanding the electorate via immigration: one side sees voting as zero-sum and fears dilution; others argue the US historically integrates new groups, that politics can be positive-sum, and that demographic vitality requires more people.