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New “More Meaningful” Citizenship Questions Revealed
The Citizenship and Immigration Service unveiled new questions Thursday for the citizenship test that immigrants must pass before becoming Americans.
The new questions are designed to be “more meaningful,” and go beyond memorization of facts, said Emilio Gonzalez, director of the agency.
For example, the previous test asked immigrants how many stripes are on the U.S. flag, but the new test asks why the 13 stripes are on the flag, federal officials said.
“I think they are more profound questions,” Gonzalez said.
The 144 questions will be tested in a pilot program in 10 cities including Albany, N.Y.; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Denver; El Paso, Texas; Kansas City; Miami; San Antonio, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; and Yakima, Wash.
Applicants who volunteer to participate in the pilot program will be given 10 of the questions and must answer six correctly. If they fail, they will be allowed to take the current test.
The redesign of the citizenship test is part of a Bush administration effort to promote stronger civic participation and assimilation of immigrants.
Earlier this year, the White House set up a “Task Force on New Americans,” which includes several cabinet members including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The goal of the group is to support state and local governments and the private sector “to help legal immigrants embrace the common core of of American civic culture, learn our common language and fully become Americans.”
The task force will make periodic recommendations to the president on ways to change rules or propose new laws that would help immigrants with integration.
The new citizenship questions can be found here.
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