Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Five fifty two hour time here on the Houston's Morning News. Right,
we've already been talking this morning about the current citizenship test,
that it's pretty easy. First of all, you get you
can get the exact questions of the test ahead of time,
so you can study specifically for the test, which you know.
I don't know that, I don't you know. Anybody can
(00:21):
memorize for a test doesn't mean you actually know the material. Right.
Joining us to talk about it is Laura Reese. She's
director of Border Security and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation.
Do you agree, Laura? Do you think the test is
too easy? Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Unfortunately it has become very watered down. Good morning, Texts
for having me on. You bet. I've witnessed a US
Citizenship and Immigration Service judicator gives the task to an applicant,
and it really seems like a check the box exercise.
They in terms of demonstrating your ability to read, write,
(01:00):
and speak English, for example, they had to read just
one sentence, they had to write just one sentence. And
in terms of the questions, yes, they publish all potential
one hundred questions in advance. You're only asked ten and
as soon as you get six. Right, you're done, so
(01:22):
it We need to have higher standards because we need
to put more meaning back into becoming less citizen.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
When did we start dumbing this test down? And why
did we do it?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well? I recall back during even the Clinton years, the
then I n S was redesigning the test and lowering
the standards, and it's just been a slide ever since
then because they wanted more people to naturalize to become citizens.
(02:00):
Were they doing it back then because they viewed this
as potential political votes? Perhaps, but regardless, we really need
to re raise the standard and to get back to assimilation,
which has been a dirty word for the left for
decades because all they push is multiculturalism and we're seeing
(02:24):
both here but in other countries like the UK and France.
What that can lead to.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Joseph Edlow is the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director.
He said, not only would you like the test to
be a whole lot tougher, he would like it to
be more of an essay test and so sort of
a multiple guest kind of a test. In other words,
we would like you to know what the Constitution is
and what the Constitution does, and we'd like you to
(02:50):
be able to thoughtfully write that out an essay form
other than asking some sort of a generic anybody could
guess kind of a question.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yes, that's good because it gets had a couple of things. One,
it shows much better your English writing abilities rather than
just write one sentence. But also it draws out, you
know what, what does the applicant really think about whatever
subject they're being asked about? And so that gets to
(03:19):
more of that matter of assimilation. Are they going to
be loyal to the Constitution? Are they going to be
loyal to America and Americans? And that's very important.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, I suppose, like anything else, President Trump will probably
make this happen. The question is how much of an
outcry do you think there's going to be if they
do tough enough the citizenship quest test. Really, if the.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Last will push back on it, they will perhaps sue
as they sue on every other policy change. But I mean,
it's it's not a strong argument, particularly when we see
more and more even members of Congress express their loyalty
(04:08):
for foreign nations over America. Was from Guatemala to Somalia,
and when we see communities that refuse to assimilate, and
now we're getting to the point where they demand that
their laws, cultures, what have you, be implemented instead of
(04:29):
American law or American cultures or religions we were formed on.
And we cannot continue down that path and become the
Bulkanized country because we will no longer be the United
States of America.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
True enough, thank you so much for your time this morning, Laura,
I appreciate it. Laura Res, Director of Border Security, an
immigration center at the Heritage Foundation. That's five fifty seven
Five fifty two hour time here on the Houston's Morning News. Right,
we've already been talking this morning about the current citizenship test,
that it's pretty easy. First of all, you get you
can get the exact questions of the test ahead of time,
so you can study specifically for the test, which you know.
I don't know that, I don't you know. Anybody can
(00:21):
memorize for a test doesn't mean you actually know the material. Right.
Joining us to talk about it is Laura Reese. She's
director of Border Security and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation.
Do you agree, Laura? Do you think the test is
too easy? Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Unfortunately it has become very watered down. Good morning, Texts
for having me on. You bet. I've witnessed a US
Citizenship and Immigration Service judicator gives the task to an applicant,
and it really seems like a check the box exercise.
They in terms of demonstrating your ability to read, write,
(01:00):
and speak English, for example, they had to read just
one sentence, they had to write just one sentence. And
in terms of the questions, yes, they publish all potential
one hundred questions in advance. You're only asked ten and
as soon as you get six. Right, you're done, so
(01:22):
it We need to have higher standards because we need
to put more meaning back into becoming less citizen.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
When did we start dumbing this test down? And why
did we do it?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well? I recall back during even the Clinton years, the
then I n S was redesigning the test and lowering
the standards, and it's just been a slide ever since
then because they wanted more people to naturalize to become citizens.
(02:00):
Were they doing it back then because they viewed this
as potential political votes? Perhaps, but regardless, we really need
to re raise the standard and to get back to assimilation,
which has been a dirty word for the left for
decades because all they push is multiculturalism and we're seeing
(02:24):
both here but in other countries like the UK and France.
What that can lead to.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Joseph Edlow is the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director.
He said, not only would you like the test to
be a whole lot tougher, he would like it to
be more of an essay test and so sort of
a multiple guest kind of a test. In other words,
we would like you to know what the Constitution is
and what the Constitution does, and we'd like you to
(02:50):
be able to thoughtfully write that out an essay form
other than asking some sort of a generic anybody could
guess kind of a question.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yes, that's good because it gets had a couple of things. One,
it shows much better your English writing abilities rather than
just write one sentence. But also it draws out, you
know what, what does the applicant really think about whatever
subject they're being asked about? And so that gets to
(03:19):
more of that matter of assimilation. Are they going to
be loyal to the Constitution? Are they going to be
loyal to America and Americans? And that's very important.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, I suppose, like anything else, President Trump will probably
make this happen. The question is how much of an
outcry do you think there's going to be if they
do tough enough the citizenship quest test. Really, if the.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Last will push back on it, they will perhaps sue
as they sue on every other policy change. But I mean,
it's it's not a strong argument, particularly when we see
more and more even members of Congress express their loyalty
(04:08):
for foreign nations over America. Was from Guatemala to Somalia,
and when we see communities that refuse to assimilate, and
now we're getting to the point where they demand that
their laws, cultures, what have you, be implemented instead of
(04:29):
American law or American cultures or religions we were formed on.
And we cannot continue down that path and become the
Bulkanized country because we will no longer be the United
States of America.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
True enough, thank you so much for your time this morning, Laura,
I appreciate it. Laura Res, Director of Border Security, an
immigration center at the Heritage Foundation. That's five fifty seven
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