U.S. to Add More Questions to Citizenship Test as Immigration Overhaul Intensifies

The U.S. government has announced a significant change to the naturalization process, confirming that the citizenship test will soon feature additional questions as part of a broader immigration overhaul. The move has stirred debate across political, legal, and immigrant communities, with supporters framing it as a measure to strengthen civic knowledge and critics warning that it may create unnecessary barriers for applicants.

A Key Step in Immigration Reform

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revealed that the test revisions are part of a larger strategy to modernize and tighten the legal immigration system. The announcement marks the latest development in the Biden administration’s mixed record on immigration—caught between calls for humane reforms and demands for stricter enforcement.

According to DHS, the updated exam will include new multiple-choice questions on U.S. history, government structure, and civic values. While the current naturalization test requires applicants to correctly answer 6 out of 10 oral questions chosen from a pool of 100, the new format is expected to expand both the question pool and the complexity of answers.

Officials argue that the changes are intended to ensure immigrants have a “strong foundational understanding” of American democracy. But immigrant advocacy groups have expressed concern that the revisions could make the path to citizenship harder, particularly for non-native English speakers and older applicants.

Why the Test Matters

The U.S. naturalization test has long been a gateway to citizenship. Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of American civics, history, and principles, alongside fulfilling residency requirements and passing an English language evaluation.

The test serves a symbolic role, too, representing a final milestone in the immigrant journey. For many, becoming a U.S. citizen unlocks voting rights, greater job opportunities, and the ability to petition for family reunification.

Expanding the test raises fundamental questions: Should the path to citizenship become more rigorous as a demonstration of loyalty and integration? Or should the process remain accessible, recognizing the struggles immigrants already face in navigating complex systems?

Political Reactions

The change has sparked immediate political reactions, reflecting the deep divide over immigration policy.

Republican lawmakers have largely praised the move. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas argued that strengthening the test will “ensure that those who join our nation as citizens understand not just the rights but also the responsibilities that come with it.” He added that expanding the test helps safeguard against what he called “erosion of civic literacy.”

Democrats, meanwhile, have voiced mixed opinions. Some moderates view the changes as a reasonable update, but progressives warn that the policy risks turning the test into a tool of exclusion. Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called the revisions “an unnecessary burden that disproportionately impacts working-class immigrants who already face high legal costs and long waiting periods.”

Advocacy Groups Push Back

Immigrant rights organizations have reacted sharply. The National Immigration Forum, a nonprofit group, criticized the changes as “a step backward,” arguing that the test already adequately assesses civic knowledge.

“The reality is that immigrants are some of the most civically engaged people in the country,” said Ali Noorani, a senior fellow at the organization. “Making the test harder won’t strengthen our democracy—it will only discourage hardworking immigrants who want to contribute.”

The Migration Policy Institute has also noted that past attempts to overhaul the test, including efforts under the Trump administration, often triggered confusion and delays. The group emphasized that fairness and accessibility should remain priorities in any redesign.

Historical Context of Test Changes

This is not the first time the U.S. has revised its citizenship exam. In 2008, USCIS introduced a major update, shifting from a rote memorization format to a test aimed at assessing deeper understanding of civic principles. The Trump administration proposed another overhaul in 2020, which included 128 questions instead of 100. That version was quickly criticized as overly complicated and was reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.

Now, just a few years later, the pendulum has swung again. While officials insist that the latest revision is about modernization rather than restriction, the political context makes many immigrant communities wary.

Broader Immigration Overhaul

The citizenship test update is just one element of a wider push to reform the legal immigration process. The administration has recently proposed:

• Streamlining asylum reviews, aiming to reduce backlogs but also raising fears of rushed decisions.

• Tightening work visa rules, particularly in sectors like technology and healthcare, where labor shortages remain acute.

• Increased vetting requirements for green card applicants, including biometric screenings and financial documentation.

Together, these measures reflect an effort to balance national security and labor market needs with the political pressure to appear tough on immigration. Critics argue the result is an increasingly burdensome process for immigrants already navigating long delays and high fees.

The Human Impact

For the estimated 9 million immigrants eligible for naturalization, the test changes may alter not only how they prepare but also whether they choose to apply at all. Language barriers and access to study resources remain significant challenges, particularly for low-income immigrants.

“I’ve been in the U.S. for 15 years, I work two jobs, and I study whenever I can,” said Maria Lopez, an immigrant from El Salvador preparing for the test. “If they make it harder, I don’t know if I’ll be able to pass. But I want to become a citizen—I want to vote, I want to belong.”

Stories like Lopez’s highlight the stakes of the policy. For many immigrants, the citizenship test is not just an exam; it’s a life-changing opportunity.

What Happens Next

USCIS has said it will pilot the new questions in early 2026 before rolling them out nationwide. The agency plans to provide study guides and sample tests, but advocacy groups worry that resources may not reach all communities in time.

Congress is unlikely to intervene directly, as the test falls under executive authority. Still, the issue may surface in the 2026 midterm elections, where immigration will almost certainly remain a defining political topic.

Conclusion

The U.S. government’s decision to add more questions to the citizenship test underscores the broader tensions in immigration policy—balancing the desire for strong civic knowledge against the need for accessibility and fairness.

For supporters, the move strengthens the meaning of citizenship and reaffirms American values. For critics, it risks creating new hurdles for immigrants who already contribute to the nation’s economy and culture.

As the overhaul unfolds, one reality remains clear: the path to U.S. citizenship is becoming more demanding, and the debate over how open—or restrictive—that path should be will continue to shape the nation’s political future.