USCIS Unveils First Changes to Naturalization Test

Yesterday the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its first slate of changes to the naturalization test. I've written before on how massive assimilation efforts will be undertaken over the next decade, and I see this as evidence of that trend. I expect other countries including Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, UK, France, Australia -- any countries dealing with immigration surpluses really -- to follow suit. In fact Sweden is already rolling out stricter requirements around "honourable lifestyle" requirements for applicants early next year, and I predict the UK to announce changes in short order.

The stated goal of naturalization tests is to establish a threshold of civic knowledge/engagement. However, as many immigrants the world over could tell you, in many cases the questions on these tests surpass what a native-born citizen was taught or learned in history class. The test acts as a gatekeeper and rite of passage rather than any objective standard of assimilation.

The real news is contained in this line: "USCIS has also provided officers guidance on assessing aliens’ good moral character, looking for positive contributions to American society instead of a mere absence of bad behavior." So yes, the test will likely get a little harder, but all the interviews and assessments around the test will poke much deeper into whether a particular candidate has made positive contributions to American society.

Of course, what a positive contribution is depends entirely on who's asking, and what the administration's current beliefs are. It's a tough spot for those who have been on the waiting list for 14 odd years and seen a radical shift in value-systems every 4 years. While unfair, the changes they are a comin'.