Citizenship Oath is Being Updated

Los Angeles Daily News ^ | 09-04-2003

[boris]

WASHINGTON-- The citizenship oath, which requires immigrants to renounce loyalty to "princes and potentates," is getting a makeover after a half-century. "It's being recrafted so it has more meaning to those who are raising their right hand and swearing," the oath, said Eduardo Aguirre Jr., director of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Homeland Security Department. The new oath will be made public on Sept. 17, on citizenship day.

--Associated Press

[boris]

Probably bilingually or En Espanol.

--Boris

[fishtank]

Let's hope they include a renouncement of any group, organization, nation, religion or philosophy that advocates the overthrow of the United States of America.

Of course, would that include subversive groups like the Green and Democrat parties?

[Uncle George]

The new oath will possibly include: I pledge to vote Democratic and join my labor union within 30 days.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"It's being recrafted so it has more meaning to those who are raising their right hand and swearing,"

Said oath to read: I hate America and all it stands for, I will strive diligently to bring down these absurd ideas of a republic. Fineswine La Piggy, Biden The Bad, Schumer The Fumer, and others of such ilk want to be the first to have a oath swearing in party for these new principles as a way of showing their support.

[So Cal Rocket]

Current oath:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

[So Cal Rocket]

Any bets they take out the reference to God?

[NH Liberty]

"The new oath will possibly include: I pledge to vote Democratic and join my labor union within 30 days."

Ooooh..... Chilling!

[Thor_Hammar]

When did September 17th become Citizenship Day? Isn't September 17th Constitution Day?

[So Cal Rocket]

Didn't you know? The Constitution has been overturned by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

[MineralMan]

That's just one part of the oath. No reference to any deity is required in the current oath. Read the entire thing, directly from the government:

PART 337--OATH OF ALLEGIANCE--Table of Contents

Sec. 337.1 Oath of allegiance.

(a) Form of oath. Except as otherwise provided in the Act and after
receiving notice from the district director that such applicant is
eligible for naturalization pursuant to Sec. 335.3 of this chapter, an
applicant for naturalization shall, before being admitted to
citizenship, take in a public ceremony held within the United States the
following oath of allegiance, to a copy of which the applicant shall
affix his or her signature:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce
and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject
or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of
the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear
arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I
will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United
States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national
importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I
take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose
of evasion; so help me God.


(b) Alteration of form of oath; affirmation in lieu of oath. In
those cases in which a petitioner or applicant for naturalization is
exempt from taking the oath prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section
in its entirety, the inapplicable clauses shall be deleted and the oath
shall be taken in such altered form. When a petitioner or applicant for
naturalization, by reason of religious training and belief (or
individual interpretation thereof), or for other reasons of good
conscience, cannot take the oath prescribed in paragraph (a) of this
section with the words ``on oath'' and ``so help me God'' included, the
words ``and solemnly affirm'' shall be substituted for the words ``on
oath,'' the words ``so help me God'' shall be deleted, and the oath
shall be taken in such modified form. Any reference to `oath of
allegiance' in this chapter is understood to mean equally `affirmation
of allegiance' as described in this paragraph.

[MineralMan]

"Any bets they take out the reference to God?"

That's already optional. See my post above.

[MineralMan]

"I would hope so. What if the immigrant doesn't believe in God? Should be be forced to perjure himself from the get-go by swearing to an entity that he does not even believe to exist?"

Already taken care of. See my post above.

[Centurion2000]

Let's hope they include a renouncement of any group, organization, nation, religion or philosophy that advocates the overthrow of the United States of America.

Of course, would that include subversive groups like the Green and Democrat parties?

Islam too.

[Jack Black]

Is it a law? How can they update it administratively?

[Ohioan]

The modification is probably to allow dual citizenship--since no one in Washington seems concerned at the increasing number of dual citizens, now being tolerated. If that is, in fact, the case, the rest of us should be very concerned indeed.

There is a lot wrong with the extremely "liberal," immigration policy; but there is no legitimate reason to change the present oath.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[breadandcircuses]

Well, then maybe he doesn't belong in this country. Citizenship to foreigners is a privlidge, not a right.

Our declaration of independence specifically says that our rights come from God. you have a problem with that, you have a problem with our republic (like alan dershowitz and others)

[johnx]

> Well, then maybe he doesn't belong in this country.

That is not up to you.

> Citizenship to foreigners is a privlidge, not a right.

Your immigration laws don't mean shit to me, Pilgram.

> Our declaration of independence specifically says
> that our rights come from God.

I am god, you are god, we are all god.


> you have a problem with that,

There is no god. I speakith against the so called Lord.


> you have a problem with our republic (like alan
> dershowitz and others)

Only with the religious fanatics.

Native emerikanly yours,
johnx

[foreverfree]

Current oath:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

SNIP

Here is the new Oath of Allegiance, as it appears in an internal document from BCIS (an agency within the Department of Homeland Security) [and reprinted in National Review Online]:

Solemnly, freely, and without mental reservation, I hereby renounce under oath all allegiance to any foreign state. My fidelity and allegiance from this day forward is to the United States of America. I pledge to support, honor, and be loyal to the United States, its Constitution, and its laws. Where and if lawfully required, I further commit myself to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, either by military, noncombatant, or civilian service. This I do solemnly swear, so help me God.

Can anyone please brief FReepers on what's wrong with the change?

foreverfree

P.S. Thank you Marlon Maddoux for having your Heritage Found. guest on today's Point of View calling my attention to these changes.

[c-b 1]

I suspect it will have something about being a good global citizen in it also.