Test for U.S. Citizenship Faces Overhaul

Los Angeles Times ^ | 01-15-2004 | Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar

[boris]

Test for U.S. Citizenship Faces Overhaul

The White House wants the exam to reflect what it means to be an American. But immigrant advocates fear new barriers.

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has decided to revamp the civics test that hundreds of thousands of prospective citizens each year must pass to become Americans, and is developing a new exam, officials said Thursday.

President Bush alluded to the effort in his speech last week on immigration reform, and this week the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services convened a two-day conference of more than 100 immigrant advocates and academics at a hotel here to discuss the principles for change and its implications.

The current test has long been criticized as a random collection of unrelated details that conveys little of the significance of citizenship. But efforts to change it elicit concern from immigrant advocates, who fear a new test could become a barrier to citizenship.

[B4Ranch]

"There are a lot of ideas being thrown out about how you get at what are the values of America," said Larry Gonzalez, Washington director of the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "

Apply as soon as you sneak across the border at the closest welfare office.

[RoughDobermann]

who fear a new test could become a barrier to citizenship

Ummm, what else can a TEST be but a barrier?

[Wheee The People]

The new test, in Spanish, will be... "How many foodstamps would you like?"

[scab4faa]

Question 1. Do you speak English?

[gubamyster]

ping

[GraniteStateConservative]

LOL.

[txdoda]

The law requires that people seeking citizenship show that they can understand and speak basic English>>>>>>


So, HOW MANY languages are ballots printed in now-days ??

[B4Ranch]

That's for those "temporary workers" who are going home in three years!

[txdoda]

That's for those "temporary workers" who are going home in three years!

Oh, okay !! The list of 'demands' from mexico is so long, guess I overlooked the *voting rights*.

[sweetliberty]

"immigrant advocates fear new barriers"

One could only hope, but don't worry....PC will win out. Heaven forbid that people should be denied citizenship because they're too stupid to learn US history or too stubborn to learn English and far be it from us to deny people simply because their religion requires them to destroy us.

[leprechaun9]

Question 1: Do you speak and understand ENGLISH? If YES, go to Question 2. If NO, WELCOME TO OUR COUNTRY. WHAT CAN WE GIVE YOU?

Question 2. Where should we sent you back to?

[sweetliberty]

"That's for those "temporary workers" who are going home in three years!"

But they aren't LEGALLY eligible to vote anyway. What better way to assure that illegals (of any nation) are NOT voting than to require that ALL ballots be in English ONLY?

[Regulator]

So, HOW MANY languages are ballots printed in now-days ??

A couple of days ago I received a NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ENGAGE IN THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES from El Estado de California (that's what it says on the form). Seems the Quick-Mart about 2 blocks away wants to create problems for our neighborhood. The languages that are on this form are:

• English
• Spanish
• Chinese
• Korean
• Vietnamese
• Arabic

And for the life of me....I don't understand why it isn't in Tagalog (the language of the Phillipines, for y'all who aren't culturally enlightened) as well. Guess I'll have to write the Departamento de Control de Bebidas Alcoholicas.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

But immigrant advocates fear new barriers.

Don't worry, Juan and Co.

The new test will probably be dumbed down so anyone can pass:

What direction would you go to get to the United States of America? ('Up' will be an acceptable answer.)

[txdoda]

But they aren't LEGALLY eligible to vote anyway. What better way to assure that illegals (of any nation) are NOT voting than to require that ALL ballots be in English ONLY?>>>>>>>>

Works for me !!.....& would save LA county (ALONE !!) over a MILLION, that is spent just on multilingual ballots.

(however it's our "electeds" that are funding our "freedom of speech" in sooo many languages.

[txdoda]

Guess I'll have to write the Departamento de Control de Bebidas Alcoholicas.>>>>>>>

Don't bother........if it's *this* agency, it was a *done deal* before the ink ever dried.

[sweetliberty]

The multi-lingual ballots are just a built in protection for one of the ongoing voter fraud schemes of the democRATs.

[sr4402]

...who fear a new test could become a barrier to citizenship

Ahh... you mean a New barrier to citizenship don't you? Oh, it would help if you could speak English properly wouldn't it?

Good idea, "Must be able to converse in English", yeah... that sounds good.

Oh, and that 9/11 thing. How about, not associated with any group we are currently at war with or defined as a terrorist?

... Don't like any of those? Can we all say "Liberal"!

</sarcasm off>

[FITZ]

They should be tested on English, their knowledge of the US Constitution, and their knowledge of early American history --- what our American patriots fought and died for. If they don't care about these things, then they don't need to be here.