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**U.S. Citizenship Test Gets Tougher Under Trump Administration Revisions**
**Washington, D.C. -** The path to U.S. citizenship is about to get more challenging for legal immigrants as the Trump administration reinstates a stricter civics test, a move hailed by officials as ensuring full assimilation but criticized by advocates as creating unnecessary hurdles.
Effective mid-October, applicants for U.S. citizenship will face a revised test requiring them to study 128 questions on U.S. history and civics, up from the previous 100. They must correctly answer 12 out of 20 questions posed orally. This reverts to a 2020 version of the test implemented during Trump’s first term but later scrapped by the Biden administration.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Matthew Tragesser stated that the change aims to ensure new citizens are “fully assimilated” and will “contribute to America’s greatness.” He emphasized that this is only the first of many changes. “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,” said Tragesser.
The new test includes questions regarding the 10th Amendment, the Federalist Papers, and key figures like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, as well as examples of American innovation.
However, pro-immigrant organizations are raising concerns about the increased difficulty. Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock of the National Immigration Law Center argues that the changes will “make it harder for long-time residents who contribute to this country every day to finally achieve the permanent protections that only U.S. citizenship can offer.”
This revision is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten access to legal immigration benefits. Recent measures include expanding the factors considered in determining an applicant’s “good moral character” and reinstating “neighborhood checks,” where government investigators interview neighbors and co-workers.
USCIS has also intensified vetting procedures, including scrutinizing applicants’ social media activity and probing for “anti-American views.” These developments signal a continued focus on stricter enforcement and eligibility requirements for immigrants seeking to call the United States home.
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