US will ‘overhaul’ the citizenship test

essentialsaltes · 2025-09-18T16:59:49-0500

America is starting a “multi-step overhaul” of the naturalization process, which will include changes to the test immigrants need to pass in order to become citizens, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Wednesday.

The naturalization test has existed in some form since the early 1900s, USCIS said, and has changed several times over the decades. The test has since been standardized, and the list of [current] possible questions are publicly available so people can study in advance. The questions are not multiple choice, but some questions have multiple correct answers.

It will be interesting to see what new questions appear.

From the creepy USCIS announcement:

"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation. By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements ... the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness."

wing2000 · 2025-09-18T17:09:11-0500

[...after we screen your social media, email accounts and anything else we can access]

Tuur · 2025-09-18T17:28:09-0500

essentialsaltes said:
From the creepy USCIS announcement:

"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation. By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements ... the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness."

Creepy how? Do we want citizens who do not embrace our values and principles? Is vetting for such objectionable? Is the idea of the melting pot now objectionable? Do we want naturalized citizens who will not contribute to America's greatness? What, precisely, is the creepy part?

As I type this I'm thinking of two naturalized US citizens who are the most patriotic Americans I've ever met. Both embrace our values and principles as a nation. Both are as fully assimilated into US society as you can get. Is this considered a bad thing now?

keith99 · 2025-09-18T17:45:28-0500

You will be assimilated, resistance is futile!

essentialsaltes · 2025-09-18T17:53:04-0500

Tuur said:
Creepy how?

This sacredest honor and Sen. Schmitt's speech on What is an American are both redolent of precious bodily fluids that must not be adulterated or diluted.

Oompa Loompa · 2025-09-18T18:20:45-0500

essentialsaltes said:
This sacredest honor and Sen. Schmitt's speech on What is an American are both redolent of precious bodily fluids that must not be adulterated or diluted.

I doubt if Ilhan Omar could pass it.

Tuur · 2025-09-18T18:48:21-0500

essentialsaltes said:
This sacredest honor and Sen. Schmitt's speech on What is an American are both redolent of precious bodily fluids that must not be adulterated or diluted.

What, though, in the cited portion did you find creepy? I'm quite sure both the naturalized US citizens I have in mind wouldn't find it creepy.

seeking.IAM · 2025-09-18T18:52:53-0500

It rather all depends on how they (re)define our values, doesn't it?

Richard T · 2025-09-18T18:59:16-0500

essentialsaltes said:
America is starting a “multi-step overhaul” of the naturalization process, which will include changes to the test immigrants need to pass in order to become citizens, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Wednesday.

The naturalization test has existed in some form since the early 1900s, USCIS said, and has changed several times over the decades. The test has since been standardized, and the list of [current] possible questions are publicly available so people can study in advance. The questions are not multiple choice, but some questions have multiple correct answers.

It will be interesting to see what new questions appear.

From the creepy USCIS announcement:

"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation. By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements ... the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness."

I am not worried about the questions but I would worry about other ongoing changes not yet announced. Seems rather vague on the goals, except it seems to prefer maga immigrants because otherwise, what values are to talking about?

Also, what is "fully assimilated." I would argue that most in Congress are not fully assimilated. Most likely don't know the price of a gallon of milk. or what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, or how hard it is for some to access medical care.
Additionally I would argue that state or even city assimilation is the best one can hope for. Take dance as an example of assimulation. In Texas it is the two-step, in North Carolina clogging and in New York ballroom? I can't even say for NY because I obviously am not USA assimilated.

I have to say also that I think this somewhat violates the spirit of the Constitution too from this statement, "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States". The term "sacred" as an adjective for citizenship implies as it pertains to God. Maga too is about imposing certain cultural ideas and values on all of America. Dig deep and you will find that such ideas are not always conservative, and the method, tone and use of money lacking in traditional Christian values.

DaisyDay · 2025-09-18T19:00:48-0500

Tuur said:
What, though, in the cited portion did you find creepy? I'm quite sure both the naturalized US citizens I have in mind wouldn't find it creepy.

"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world ..."
Citizenship is not a religion or a sacrament.

Chesterton · 2025-09-18T19:04:49-0500

essentialsaltes said:
This sacredest honor and Sen. Schmitt's speech on What is an American are both redolent of precious bodily fluids that must not be adulterated or diluted.

Which citizenship is more sacred?

Chesterton · 2025-09-18T19:05:52-0500

DaisyDay said:
"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world ..."
Citizenship is not a religion or a sacrament.

Look up words.

essentialsaltes · 2025-09-18T19:13:57-0500

Tuur said:
What, though, in the cited portion did you find creepy?

Others have already correctly zeroed in on 'most sacred' and 'fully assimilated' as the most overtly creepy portions.

Chesterton · 2025-09-18T19:19:41-0500

essentialsaltes said:
Others have already correctly zeroed in on 'most sacred' and 'fully assimilated' as the most overtly creepy portions.

But what's creepy about them?

ThatRobGuy · 2025-09-18T19:30:47-0500

I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with wanting to make sure that people intending on moving here and living here have at least some sense of shared values.

We'll have to wait and see what the new questions are...

But at it's core, I don't think "assimilation is the goal" is necessarily a bad policy.

We (unfortunately) already seem to be producing enough America-hating people domestically without have to rely on imports.

Chesterton · 2025-09-18T19:37:31-0500

ThatRobGuy said:
But at it's core, I don't think "assimilation is the goal" is necessarily a bad policy.

It's an essential policy.

ThatRobGuy said:
We (unfortunately) already seem to be producing enough America-hating people domestically without have to rely on imports.

^ This.

Oompa Loompa · 2025-09-18T20:42:32-0500

DaisyDay said:
"American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world ..."
Citizenship is not a religion or a sacrament.

This may come as a surprise to you, but the word "sacred" has a semantic range that extends beyond a religious context. Now I fly away.

Servus · 2025-09-18T20:45:59-0500

seeking.IAM said:
It rather all depends on how they (re)define our values, doesn't it?

More like reestablish.

Tuur · 2025-09-18T21:21:39-0500

Richard T said:
I am not worried about the questions but I would worry about other ongoing changes not yet announced. Seems rather vague on the goals, except it seems to prefer maga immigrants because otherwise, what values are to talking about?

Also, what is "fully assimilated." I would argue that most in Congress are not fully assimilated. Most likely don't know the price of a gallon of milk. or what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, or how hard it is for some to access medical care.
Additionally I would argue that state or even city assimilation is the best one can hope for. Take dance as an example of assimulation. In Texas it is the two-step, in North Carolina clogging and in New York ballroom? I can't even say for NY because I obviously am not USA assimilated.

I have to say also that I think this somewhat violates the spirit of the Constitution too from this statement, "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States". The term "sacred" as an adjective for citizenship implies as it pertains to God. Maga too is about imposing certain cultural ideas and values on all of America. Dig deep and you will find that such ideas are not always conservative, and the method, tone and use of money lacking in traditional Christian values.

Assimilation is becoming a part of the culture. No more,; no less. Assimilation was once the goals of immigrants, the idea of becoming an American. Assimilation has been treated as a dirty thing for decades now, but is necessary if you are a part of society. It's a sense of "Whatever we were before, we are Americans now."

As to religious test because of the word "sacred," I'll simply point out that the Democrats have used abortion on demand as a political test for decades, with a fervor usually found among religious faithful for the tenets of their religion. Do we call that a religious test, too?

(This post is going to be deleted, isn't it?)

Tuur · 2025-09-18T21:31:46-0500

essentialsaltes said:
Others have already correctly zeroed in on 'most sacred' and 'fully assimilated' as the most overtly creepy portions.

I don't see that. The naturalized citizens I've meet were all assimilated into American culture. They were a part of the community. They interacted with others, just as any other citizen would. First and foremost, they wanted to be Americans with an intensity that put citizens born here to shame. They not only knew the founding principles of the US, they believed in it. That comes through regardless of accent or clothes or holidays they celebrate. It's why a naturalized American with a strong Greek accent took us to task in 1981 for not caring to watch the inauguration; what was taking place was a ceremony of something she believed in, and that made her want to see it.

US will ‘overhaul’ the citizenship test

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