Overview

• Director Joseph Edlow says the current naturalization test is too easy and plans to reinstate the Trump-era format requiring applicants to answer 12 of 20 questions correctly to deepen civic knowledge.
• USCIS will seek to transform the H-1B visa lottery into a wage-prioritized system that ranks registrations by offered salary to favor higher-paid skilled workers.
• Edlow emphasized that H-1B visas must “supplement, not supplant” the U.S. workforce by attracting foreign talent that augments domestic labor rather than replacing it.
• Proposed changes must undergo a formal rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedure Act, including notice-and-comment periods and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs clearance.
• The initiatives build on Trump administration policies rolled back in 2021 and now hinge on interagency clearance and potential congressional authorization before taking effect.