US citizenship test  to get a Trump-era update. What to know
Share this @internewscast.com


() The Trump administration will soon move forward with changes to the U.S. citizenship test, which the new head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has called too easy.

President Donald Trump has referred to naturalization as “one of the most priceless gifts ever granted by human hands” an honor his administration will soon make harder to obtain.

Recently appointed USCIS Director Joseph Edlow told the New York Times the current test doesn’t have a high enough difficulty level.

“The test, as it’s laid out right now, it’s not very difficult,” Edlow told the Times. “It’s very easy to kind of memorize the answers. I don’t think we’re really comporting with the spirit of the law.”

According to USCIS, 90% of applicants pass the test on their first try.

What’s in the current US citizenship test?

Currently, the test includes an English exam and a civics portion. Participants are required to answer orally and need to correctly answer six of 10 questions about US history, randomly selected from a bank of 100 questions.

Edlow said he plans to revert to the 2020 citizenship test, which would increase the pool of questions to 128 and the number of correct answers needed to pass to 12 of 20.

USCIS has also proposed that the new test add a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios like daily activities, weather or food and ask the applicant to describe them.

Edlow said these changes would help participants better understand American civics but some questions have proven difficult to answer, even for American-born citizens who may have forgotten their U.S. history lessons.

Want to test your knowledge? You can access the current questions and answers here.

Citizenship test changes concern immigrant advocates

USCIS reported nearly 820,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens last year, and more than a million have done so since 2022.

It’s a privilege many immigrants say is worth studying hard for.

“I feel very proud, and I think this is a very big achievement and a big milestone in my life,” one new citizen said.

Mechelle Perrott, citizenship coordinator at San Diego Community College District’s College of Continuing Education in California, told the Associated Press changing the format could make it much more difficult for those with test-taking limitations.

We have a lot of students that are refugees, and they’re coming from war-torn countries where maybe they didn’t have a chance to complete school or even go to school,” Perrot said. “It’s more difficult learning to read and write if you don’t know how to do that in your first language. That’s my main concern about the multiple-choice test; it’s a lot of reading.”

Edlow told the Times the revisions would happen soon, but a timeline has not yet been set.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Thrill or Peril? Alex Honnold’s Bold Rope-Free Ascent of Taipei 101 Captivates Global Audience

TAIPEI – Standing majestically over the cityscape of Taiwan’s bustling capital, Taipei…

Unicoi Man Arrested: Sheriff’s Office Seizes Guns and Drugs in Major Bust

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A resident of Unicoi was taken into…

Father Breaks Silence Following Tragic Stabbing Incident at Orlando Office

ORLANDO, Fla. – In a heart-wrenching incident at an Orlando office building…

Danish Prime Minister Asserts Non-Negotiable Sovereignty Following Trump’s Reversal on Greenland

COPENHAGEN – On Thursday, Denmark’s Prime Minister made it clear that her…

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs Sells for $450 Million: Iconic Coney Island Brand Changes Ownership

Nathan’s Famous, the iconic brand known for its humble beginnings as a…

EU Leader Asserts Trump’s Threats Endanger Europe’s Security and Prosperity Ahead of Urgent Summit

BRUSSELS – President Donald Trump’s recent declarations about potentially annexing Greenland and…

FDLE Officers Conduct Removal Operation in Orange County, Ensuring Safety of Adults and Children

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A significant police operation unfolded in an Orange…

Major Narcotics Bust in Bristol: Authorities Confiscate Large Quantities of Fentanyl and Meth

The Bristol Virginia Police Department (BVPD) made significant strides in their war…

Military Police on Standby: Potential Deployment to Minneapolis Amid Rising Tensions

WASHINGTON – In response to ongoing protests tied to the Trump administration’s…

Shocking Bodycam Footage Reveals Dramatic Arrest in Sumter County Woods

A man was apprehended earlier this month in Wildwood, Sumter County, following…

Shocking Turn of Events: Juvenile Faces Attempted Murder Charges in JCPD Shooting Incident

A juvenile has been charged with attempted second-degree murder following a shooting…

Florida Faces Teacher Shortages in Seven Key Subjects: Urgent Call for Educators

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Wednesday, the State Board of Education examined a…