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A MAJOR change to the US citizenship test has been proposed, and it could make becoming naturalized even more difficult.
Officials said that they hope the moral character quiz will mean only the best and brightest become Americans.
On Friday, a memo from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services indicated that applications will undergo a more “holistic” review, as reported by Time.
The agency emphasized the importance of “good moral character” for legal immigrants, urging evaluations based on “positive attributes” rather than merely avoiding wrongdoing.
Matthew Tragesser, a USCIS spokesperson, commented, “US citizenship is a pinnacle achievement and should be reserved for the most exceptional individuals worldwide.”
“USCIS is introducing a new component in the naturalization procedure to ensure that new citizens not only adopt America’s culture, history, and language, but also exhibit Good Moral Character,” he added.
Typically, the citizenship test assesses an individual’s grasp of the English language, as well as their knowledge of American history and government.
Immigrants must prove to a USCIS officer that they can understand, speak, and write basic English.
They must also answer 100 questions about the structure of the US government and important historical facts if they want to be naturalized.
The test is normally taken by green card holders who have lived in the US legally for at least three to five years.
But in the new memo, the Trump administration signaled that it hopes to learn more from applicants than just their testing knowledge.
The title of “good moral character” used to be granted to anyone who didn’t have a record of committing violent crimes.
If the person had a history of drug offenses, aggravated felonies like murder, or multiple DWI convictions, they could be barred from citizenship.
However, now the government wants to weigh an applicant’s positive attributes instead of the absence of a criminal record.
The applicant must be able to prove that their character matches the “standards of average citizens of the community in which the alien resides.”
Factors like active community participation, contributions within the US, family caregiving, strong US connections, and maintaining legal and stable employment will all be taken into account during evaluations.
Officers will also be looking at the length of lawful residence in the US and for compliance with tax laws.
Additionally, the USCIS will look into any behaviors that, though technically legal, could be “inconsistent with civic responsibility.”
These include “reckless or habitual traffic infractions or harassment or aggressive solicitation.”
Trump’s latest immigration crackdown initiatives
- Donald Trump announced on May 5 that illegal immigrants who “self-deport” will be given a $1,000 stipend and free flight home
- WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported that the 7,000 illegal immigrants attempted to cross the border in March – the lowest in history
- Trump declared Mexican cartels and the El Salvadorian gang MS-13 terrorist organizations
- On May 4, Trump also announced he plans to reopen the notorious Alcatraz prison, which once housed gangster Al Capone
- In January, Trump revealed plans to send up to 30,000 illegal immigrants to detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
- In March, the US president began to deport hundreds of alleged gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador
IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN
Since Donald Trump stepped back into office, he has taken sweeping efforts to regulate who is entering and living in the US.
One of his first moves was seeking to effectively end birthright citizenship, which makes any child born on US soil a citizen.
He’s also sent more security to the border and struck deals with neighboring Mexican and Canadian leaders to halt illegal crossing.
The policies have sparked lawsuits from across the country, with many courts arguing that Trump is challenging the Constitution.
