Green card holders citizenship applications are surging as permanent residents grow increasingly anxious about intensified immigration enforcement under the Donald Trump administration. Legal residents who once felt secure now worry they could be detained or deported, prompting a new wave of citizenship filings.
Renewed ‘Citizenship Rush’ Grips Immigrant Communities
After the Trump administration came into power, immigration policies hardened significantly. Detentions and deportation proceedings involving even lawful green card holders have spread fear across immigrant communities. The result: a renewed “citizenship rush” that mirrors the spike seen in 2017.
Korean Americans: ‘Green Card Is No Longer Safe’
In the Korean American community, the anxiety is palpable. A representative from the Korean American Coalition (KAC) said citizenship inquiries have jumped more than 50% since January. “We’re seeing a noticeable rise in calls from those who’ve held green cards for over two decades,” the spokesperson said. “That didn’t happen before—deportation wasn’t even part of the conversation.”
Border Hassles Push Permanent Residents to Apply
Judy Choi, a manager at Korean Resource Center, reported that many green card holders decided to apply for citizenship after experiencing difficulties at U.S. entry points. “Some are avoiding international travel entirely,” she noted, “especially those with even minor criminal records from Korea. They plan to wait out the Trump era with citizenship in hand.”
Orange County Sees Spike in Consultations
The Korean Community Services (KCS) center in Orange County is also fielding a surge in calls. Ellen Ahn, Executive Director, confirmed, “We’ve seen a sharp increase in both inquiries and actual applications.” According to KCS, they now average about 70 consultations per month. On March 22, they hosted a free citizenship assistance event, helping 26 applicants in a single day.
Fear, Not Just Convenience, Driving Demand
Recently naturalized Mr. Park said, “Every day I heard about green card holders being detained. I couldn’t take it anymore.” He added, “Now that I’m a U.S. citizen, I finally feel safe.”
Legal Experts: Don’t Wait to Lose Rights
Song Jung-Hoon, an immigration attorney, stressed that even legal residents are no longer immune from crackdowns. “If you want protection from deportation, voting rights, and the ability to sponsor family members, citizenship is the safest move,” he said. He also warned those with two or more DUI offenses to seek legal counsel before applying.
USCIS Confirms 10% Increase in Applications
Federal data backs up these concerns. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 87,174 N-400 citizenship applications were filed in January 2025—up 10% from 78,895 the year prior. Officials say that fear of Trump-era immigration policies is driving the rise.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
