Every nation has its keys to citizenship, but somewhere along the way, America started handing out copies at the door.

The debate over who belongs and who doesn’t has raged for decades, with each administration turning the lock one way or another. Yet citizenship isn’t just paperwork: it’s a covenant between an individual and a nation, a promise that goes both ways.

For the past four years, the Biden administration treated citizenship requirements like obstacles to be removed rather than standards to be met. The message was clear: come one, come all, and don’t worry too much about the fine print.

The naturalization test, that basic measure of civic knowledge and English proficiency, was shortened and simplified because it supposedly created “barriers” for immigrants. But barriers to what, exactly? To understanding the very nation they sought to join?

As a side note, we’re the only country that apologizes for having standards. Try becoming a citizen of Switzerland or Japan without jumping through hoops that would make our test look like a kindergarten quiz.

At any rate, the pendulum has swung back — the Trump administration announced this week that it’s restoring the more comprehensive citizenship test from 2020, expanding it from 10 to 20 questions and requiring applicants to correctly answer 12 instead of just 6.

The question pool grows from 100 to 128, adding new material about the Founding Fathers, the Federalist Papers, and the 10th Amendment—you know, those pesky details about how America actually works.

From ‘U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’:

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.

By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements, including the ability to read, write, and speak English and understand U.S. government and civics, are able to naturalize, the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness.

Restoration, Not Revolution

This isn’t some radical new requirement; it’s literally the same test Trump implemented in December 2020, which Biden promptly scrapped four months later.

The administration called the longer test an “inadvertent barrier,” part of Biden’s executive order on “Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems.” Faith in what, exactly? A system that asks nothing of those who seek its highest privilege? Look, I get it—tests are hard. But so is maintaining a republic.

The revived test includes questions about Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Dwight Eisenhower. It asks about the 10th Amendment and states’ rights. These aren’t trivia questions—they’re fundamental to understanding American governance.

If someone can’t explain basic federalism or identify key Founding Fathers, how can they participate meaningfully in our democracy?

The timing couldn’t be more relevant. Recently, the Muslim mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, told a Christian resident he was “not welcome here” for questioning the city’s honor of a Hezbollah supporter.

On college campuses, foreign students celebrated terrorism while demanding the destruction of our closest ally. Let me be clear: this is what cultural suicide looks like. This is what happens when we forget that assimilation isn’t a dirty word—it’s a necessity.

More Than Just a Test

What we’re really talking about here isn’t just memorizing facts; it’s about understanding what America is and choosing to become part of it. The test is oral, not written. Officers can stop once an applicant answers 12 questions correctly. The study materials are free and publicly available.

This isn’t designed to exclude; it’s designed to ensure those who join us actually want to be Americans, not just live in America.

The USCIS is also implementing social media vetting and stricter reviews of disability exceptions. They’re looking for positive contributions to American society, not just the absence of bad behavior.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear: if you celebrate political violence, you don’t belong here. If you can’t embrace pluralism and the separation of church and state, find another country. Harsh? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely.

This is what Trump promised during his campaign: not just secure borders, but meaningful standards for who becomes American. Because citizenship without assimilation isn’t integration; it’s colonization.

And America has the right—no, the obligation—to preserve its identity for future generations.

The keys to American citizenship should mean something; they should be earned, not handed out like party favors. This restoration isn’t about keeping people out—it’s about ensuring those who come in understand what they’re joining.

And here’s what drives me crazy: critics will call this xenophobic, but it’s the opposite. We’re saying America is so special, so worth preserving, that we expect you to learn about it. After all, a nation that doesn’t know what it stands for won’t stand for long.

Key Takeaways

• Trump restored the 20-question citizenship test that Biden scrapped for being too hard
• New citizens must prove English proficiency and knowledge of American civics
• The test adds questions about the Founding Fathers and constitutional principles
• USCIS will now vet social media and require proof of positive contributions

Sources: The Daily Wire, The Hill