Immigration advocates pushed back on the change, voicing concern on the updates creating barriers, labeling the move as the Trump administration making citizenship for immigrants and visa holders more difficult to obtain.
In a new shakeup from the Trump administration, passing the U.S. citizenship test will be twice as hard due to added questions and an uptick in the number of correct answers to pass, KVUE reports.
And that’s not the only change test takers can prepare for. According to Fast Company, test takers are now required to demonstrate “good moral character,” rather than simply having a clean record being sufficient. Applicants will be asked to provide evidence of “positive contributions to American society,” potentially by having coworkers, neighbors, or family members interviewed by officials.
Immigration advocates pushed back on the change, voicing concern about the updates creating barriers, labeling the move as the Trump administration making citizenship for immigrants and visa holders more challenging to obtain. Partner at Reeves Immigration Law Group, Eric Welsh, labeled the move as an “extremely dangerous and slippery slope” while highlighting that it could heighten the opportunity for “more biased decision-making based on arbitrary factors like race.”
Julie Mitchell, legal director at Los Angeles’ Central American Resource Center, expressed concern about applicants with literacy barriers and limited access to preparation courses. “It’s hard to imagine these changes don’t reduce the number of people who can complete the naturalization process,” Mitchell said.
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Source: Black Enterprise
