The U.S. government is implementing significant changes to the citizenship testing process as part of a broader effort to tighten immigration policies. The latest updates include reinstating a more rigorous civics test from 2020, which requires applicants to study 128 questions about U.S. history and government and answer 12 out of 20 correctly. This marks a return to a more challenging test, reversing the more lenient 2008 version used previously. The new test will apply to applications filed after mid-October and emphasizes knowledge of the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and American history, with increased focus on moral character and English proficiency. Additionally, USCIS is resuming neighborhood investigations and expanding the criteria for assessing applicants’ moral character, including disqualifying behaviors like illegal voting and false claims of citizenship. The Trump administration claims these measures are necessary to prevent fraud and ensure only fully assimilated individuals become citizens. However, critics argue that these changes make naturalization more difficult and discourage eligible immigrants from applying. Historically, the naturalization process has been based on a civics test designed to reflect middle-school education levels, with a high pass rate among applicants. Experts note that fraud in the citizenship process is relatively low, and the system has become more sophisticated with technology and database integration. Overall, these policy shifts are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to restrict legal immigration benefits, including green cards and work permits, and to portray immigrants negatively, emphasizing security and moral integrity. The new policies aim to reinforce the idea that citizenship should be reserved for those who fully embrace American values.