The Trump administration has announced plans to revise the U.S. citizenship test to make it more challenging, reflecting the former president’s tough stance on immigration.

Citizenship Test ‘Too Easy,’ Says USCIS Director

Joseph Edlow, head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), criticized the current test for being overly simple. According to him, test-takers can just memorize the answers without understanding their meaning.

“It’s very easy to memorize the answers,” Edlow stated. “I don’t think we’re really complying with the spirit of the law. The test, as it’s laid out right now, it’s not very difficult.”

He explained to the New York Times that changes to the test should be seen as a positive step, especially as the U.S. continues to attract immigrants who contribute to economic growth and the national interest.

“If we’re looking at the people that are coming over… to advance certain economic agendas and otherwise benefit the national interest — that’s absolutely what we need to be taking care of,” he said.

A Return to Trump-Era Test Standards

Previously, before 2008, the citizenship test lacked standardization. That changed during the Bush administration, which introduced a civics test with 10 questions pulled from a pool of 100, with applicants needing six correct answers.

During Trump’s presidency, the test was revised in 2020 to include 128 questions, requiring applicants to answer 12 of 20 correctly. But under Joe Biden, the test reverted to the earlier version in March 2021.

Now, USCIS appears poised to bring back something closer to the 2020 version.

Potential Changes to H-1B Visa Criteria

The Trump administration may also adjust how H-1B visas are awarded. The current program targets skilled workers, but Edlow reportedly favors a system that prioritizes applicants expected to earn higher salaries.

He noted that some companies exploit the H-1B program to hire foreign labor at lower wages, putting American workers at a disadvantage. “I really do think that the way H-1B needs to be used… is to, along with a lot of other parts of immigration, supplement, not supplant, U.S. economy and U.S. businesses and U.S. workers,” Edlow emphasized.