Immigrants applying for citizenship in Denver will be able to volunteer to take a controversial new naturalization exam being tested in 10 cities after the first of the year.
The pilot program features 144 new questions that focus more on the concepts of American citizenship and history instead of just facts, figures and titles.
The changes were prompted by a 2000 congressional review of the exam that concluded the test wasn’t standardized enough and raised concerns that test takers might be memorizing answers without fully understanding the meaning of the questions.
“We realized that we could improve the test, make it more meaningful in a way that would encourage our applicants to gain a more thorough understanding of our civic values,” said Sharon Rummery, spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “There’s nothing wrong with the present test. We just felt we could do better.”
Immigrant advocate groups, however, are worried the new exam could be used as a barrier to keep legal immigrants from obtaining citizenship. Many applicants may struggle to give more complicated answers when English is their second language, said Fred Tsao, policy director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugee Rights, or ICIRR.
“A lot of immigrants study really hard for the test and devote a lot of time and energy to this,” Tsao said. “Anybody who is involved in adult-education citizenship knows that it is not just rote learning; it’s contextual learning.”
Two other possible changes also could pose an unfair burden on immigrants, advocates say – a proposed application fee increase from $400 to $600 or more, and a proposal to file the application only online.
The application changes and new test questions are the equivalent of “a second wall,” targeting legal immigrants, Tsao said.
More than 230 organizations signed an ICIRR letter to Citizenship and Immigration Services that raises concerns about the new test questions and application proposals.
In the U.S., there are more than 8 million immigrants eligible to apply for citizenship. Denver’s office has seen a record number of applications this year, with more than 8,000 in a 12-month period ending Sept. 30.
Under the new testing program, examiners will ask applicants 10 approved questions. Six must be answered correctly. Volunteers who fail the pilot exam will be allowed to take the current one.
The pilot exam will be given to 5,000 volunteers in select cities, which include Boston, El Paso, Miami, San Antonio and Phoenix.
Rummery defended the new program, saying the change will help immigrants really understand what they can do in their new democracy. She also said the fee changes occur every two years to adjust for rising costs.
For Teresa Padierna and her Denver family, the new test isn’t anymore daunting than the current test. She said she is more worried about saving the money to file their applications.
“I think that if you are going to be part of the citizenship of America, you must be aware of the laws, the news, and changes in our community and how things will affect us,” she said.
Staff writer Elizabeth Aguilera can be reached at 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com.
New questions vs. old
Current questions on the naturalization exam and new questions on the pilot exam being rolled out in 10 cities, including Denver, at the beginning of the year:
Current: What are the duties of the Supreme Court?
Answer: To interpret and explain the laws.
New: What does the judicial branch do?
Answer: Includes reviews and explains laws, resolves disputes between parties and decides if a law goes against the constitution.
Interested in testing your knowledge?
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