Overview

• USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said he aims to add an essay to assess applicants’ attachment to the Constitution, citing prompts such as what it means to be an American.
• Edlow outlined a shift to a standardized test administered at testing centers before interviews to gauge understanding more uniformly.
• The agency is reverting to the 2020 civics exam format and has issued new guidance expanding how officers evaluate English proficiency and good moral character.
• Edlow said he has referred multiple denaturalization cases to the Justice Department and indicated more referrals are planned.
• No firm timeline has been set, though Edlow hopes to implement changes within about a year, and immigration attorneys expect increased litigation over rejected applications.