US authorities to evaluate applicants for citizenship based on their beneficial contributions and good ethical conduct.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new policy for U.S. citizenship applications, focusing on a holistic approach that considers the positive contributions of immigrants.
Under this new policy, USCIS officers are encouraged to evaluate an alien's positive contributions to American society, including community involvement, educational attainment, stable and lawful employment history, career achievements, and paying taxes. This shift in focus aims to move beyond simply the absence of misconduct and towards a comprehensive assessment of an applicant's character.
One of the key proposed changes to the citizenship test and process is a more difficult test, with applicants required to answer 20 questions out of 120, still needing a 60% passing score. The test will include more challenging civics questions and stronger English proficiency components to test deeper knowledge of U.S. government, history, and language skills.
In addition, USCIS will resume neighborhood investigations to assess applicants' good moral character more comprehensively. This practice, which was used decades ago but largely abandoned, will involve reviewing where applicants live and work and potentially contacting neighbors, co-workers, and employers.
The policy also emphasizes the importance of evaluating an applicant's positive attributes and contributions to the U.S. when determining "good moral character" for naturalization. Factors to be considered include community involvement, family caregiving, educational attainment, employment history, length of lawful residence, and compliance with tax obligations.
While positive factors are emphasized, there is also greater attention on whether applicants have engaged in disqualifying behaviors that could deny them good moral character status. Serious violent crimes, drug use, and multiple convictions for driving under the influence are among the offenses that could disqualify an applicant.
USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser stated that the new policy ensures America's newest citizens not only embrace America's culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate good moral character. The policy directs USCIS officers to evaluate applicants beyond the absence of misconduct and consider conduct that may not be illegal but inconsistent with civic responsibility.
Immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship must already live in the country for several years and pass a civics test in English, among other requirements. The new policy adds an element to the naturalization process that ensures new citizens demonstrate good moral character, reflecting a shift toward recognizing immigrants’ affirmative contributions as part of the naturalization criteria.
In summary, the new USCIS policy emphasizes the positive roles of immigrants in their communities and their adherence to U.S. civic responsibilities. This holistic and community-based evaluation aims to ensure that those naturalized have demonstrated strong integration, responsibility, and commitment to the U.S. The policy is part of a broader effort to raise the bar for knowledge and character assessment and offer U.S. citizenship only to the world's best.
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/us-citizenship-test-to-get-much-harder-under-new-proposal.html [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/us/politics/us-citizenship-test.html [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/01/us-citizenship-test-to-get-much-harder-trump-administration-says/ [4] https://www.npr.org/2021/02/01/962048132/trump-administration-to-make-citizenship-test-more-difficult-official-says [5] https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-02-02/us-to-make-citizenship-test-more-difficult-and-resume-neighborhood-investigations-to-assess-applicants-good-moral-character
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