USCIS Rescinds Expedited Naturalization for Certain SSI Beneficiaries

U.S. Citizenship and Im migration Services Office of the Director Camp Springs, MD 20588-000 9 December 19, 2025 PA -2025-32 Policy Alert SUBJEC T: Rescindi ng Expedited N atura lization P roc essing for Certa in SS I Benefici aries Purpose U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) i s r escinding policy gui danc e in t he USCIS Policy Man ual r elated to expedite d processing of na turalization applications f or c erta in Supplemental S ecurit y I ncome (SSI) be neficiarie s. Background On December 6, 2006, a c lass a ction l awsuit 1 (“ Kaplan ”) w a s brought by aliens w ho had lost or w ere at r isk of losing SSI be nefits b ased on t he s tatutory 7- yea r limit fo r receivi ng S SI benefits. 2 The plaintiffs c h allenged a l leged de lays in a djudicating the ir adjustmen t of status a nd na tural ization applications. T hey cl aim ed t ha t these de lays prevented t hem f rom be coming na turaliz ed ci tizens befor e they lost or w ould l ose S SI be nefits. Although aliens a re g enerally not e ligibl e for S SI, Congress ha s c reated a n umber of exceptions t o this ru le, includi ng e xcept ions fo r refuge es, a sylees, c e rta in aliens a dmitted a s A me rasia n immig rants, and al iens granted s tatus as Cuban or Haiti an entrants. 3 Each o f these g roups is e ligi ble for benefi ts for 7 ye ars, starting e ither a t the t ime of entry in to the c ountr y or a t the t ime the a lien is gr anted s tatus as a m ember of one of t he l isted groups. I f an a lien re ce iving benefits i s n aturaliz ed b efor e the expiration o f his or her 7 - yea r e ligibility p eriod, the a lien ma y c ontinue receiving b enefits on the same basis as any ot he r American ci tizen. If the a lien is not naturaliz ed, be nefi ts a re te rminate d a fter 7 ye ars. The pl aintiffs i n t he cas e brought s ui t against D HS, USCIS, the F ederal B ureau of I nvestigation (FBI), and the S ocial S ecurity Administration (SSA). Subsequently, USCIS e ntered into a s ettlement agreemen t, which w as fi led in the U.S. D istrict Court for th e Eastern D istrict of Pennsylvania. U nder the s ettlement agreement, U SCIS e xpedited A pplication s to Register Permanent Residence o r Adjust Status (F orm I -4 85) and A pplications fo r Naturalizatio n (Form N -4 00) filed b y c urrent or forme r SSI beneficiaries if th e application had been pending with USCIS for more than 6 months. Expedited processing i ncluded r equestin g accelerated F B I Name Checks, as well a s prioritizing an y U SCIS internal actions, such as the scheduling of an interview. USCIS also agreed to work with S SA t o 1 See Kaplan v. Chertoff, 2:06 - cv - 5304, (E.D. Pa. Jan. 24, 2 008). 2 See 8 U.S.C. 1612 (a)(2)(A). 3 See 8 U.S.C. 1612 (a)(2)(A).

PA -2025-32: Rescinding E xpedited Na turalizatio n Processing fo r Certain S SI Beneficiar ies Page: 2 identify individuals who had lost or would lose their SSI benefits within the following year and who already had a Form I-485 or Form N-400 pending with USCIS. USCIS would then expedite those cases even if the alien had not yet requested expe dited processi ng and if the application had not been pending for 6 months. The effective date of the settlement agreement was March 5, 2008, and it remained in effect until February 5, 2011. Subsequently, on September 30, 2008, Congress enacted the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, which extended th e SSI eligibility period fo r refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitaria n immigrant s, including victims o f trafficking, fro m 7 years to 9 years from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011. 4 The Act also exempted certain al iens from the time - limi ted SSI eligibility period during the 3-year window of October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011. After this date, ali en eligibi lity reverte d back to the statutory 7 - year time li mit. As the temporary extension and exemptions of the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act have ended and the ter ms of the Kaplan settlement ag reement have expired, US CIS is rescinding guidance derived from the Kaplan settlement provisions. This guidance, contained in Volume 12 of the Policy Manual, is effective immediately and applies to requests pending or filed on or after the publication date. The guidance contained in the Policy Manual is controlling and supersedes any related prior guid ance. Policy High lights • Ceases expedited proce ssing of natu ralization application s for certa in Supplemen tal Securi ty Income (SSI) beneficiaries. 5 Summary of Changes Affected Se ction: Volu me 12 > Part B > Chapter 3, Natura lization Interv iew • Removes Section E (Exp editing Ap plications f rom Certain SSI Benefic iaries). Affected Se ction: Volu me 12 > Part D > Chapter 6, Jurisdiction, Place of Residence, and Early Filing • Removes Section E (Expediting Applications from Certain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefi ciaries). USCIS may also make other minor technical, stylistic, and conforming changes consistent with this update. Citation 4 See Section 402(a)(M) of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, Pub. L. 11 0 - 328, 122 S tat. 3568 (September 30, 2008). 5 For inf ormati on about genera l expe dite re quests, se e the Expedite Requests w ebpag e.

PA -2025-32: Rescinding E xpedited Na turalizatio n Processing fo r Certain S SI Beneficiar ies Page: 3 Volume 12: Citizenship and Naturalization, Part B, Naturalization Examination, Chapter 3, Naturalizati on Interview [12 USCIS - PM B.3 ] and Part D, General Natu ralization R equirements, Chapter 6, Jurisdiction, Place of Residence, and Early Filing [12 USCIS - PM D.6 ].