There'll be a test

 

Hi!

I have some questions for you:

• Supreme Court Justices serve for life. Why?
• Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
• The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean?

Do you know the answers? Do the questions sound vague? Are you kind of nervous? Now imagine that English is not your first language and that your whole life may depend on you answering twenty questions a person devoid of emotions or empathy will ask you in a sterile government office. And remember, you cannot write anything. You have to respond verbally. On the spot. How does that feel?

Becoming an American citizen is something that many immigrants need to do to end the never ending struggle that being a legal alien living in the United States means for many people. It's something that most Americans never even think about. One of the things IMPOTUS2 did was to make the citizenship test in America longer, more difficult and more expensive. Yep. According to the Cheeto admin, the test was now to have 128 questions, when the test had been 100 questions since 2008. The test now is also $1,160 (from $725) and they ask you about your 'moral character', that is, if you had done sex work, have been imprisoned for a felony or if you have trafficked drugs. You will have to ace 12 questions of the twenty you were asked. Previously, they would ask you ten questions and you'd have to answer six correctly to pass. The operative word is 'correctly': that's left to the whim of the soulless government employee who's deciding your fate. Feel better now?

And this is one part of the test. The exam consists of two parts: English and civics. The English exam includes correctly reading and writing basic sentences, as well as answering orally the questions posed on the N400 form. Again, those being 'correct' is left to whomever is answering the questions. 

How's that for stressing? 

Ok, so here's a sample of the new questions asked in the test:

1. What is the form of government of the United States?

2. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does.

3. Why does each state have two senators?

4. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

5. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.

6. Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

7. Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. Senators?

8. The President of the United States can serve only two terms. Why?

9. The executive branch has many parts. Name one.

10. Why is the Electoral College important?

Can you answer them all? Five? Seven? Lucky you.

Becoming a citizen in the United States demands knowledge some American-born people do not have or do not remember. Being a 'patriot' for them becomes regurgitating Fox News' sound bites. These are just some of the questions the aspiring citizen must answer correctly in order to 'belong' to the country. In order to stop the never ending visits to immigration offices, the costs that having an immigration lawyer can mean and the stress that comes with every expiration date. Many immigrants have to go through this for years. So the next time your best Repug friend/ family member starts ranting about 'foreigners' and how proud they are to be an Amerikkkan, please ask them to answer these ten questions. Enjoy watching them squirm. The 'foreigners' they so despise, would probably know much more about their own country and how it works than they will ever do. 

XOXO

P.S. I'll post the answers just in case, you know...

P.P.S. People will be able to take the original 2008 test starting on April 19, 2021. Elections fucking matter.