Immigration Reform Under Trump: Changes to Citizenship Test and H-1B Visa Program

Strategic Insights -

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, has called for a more rigorous citizenship test, stating that the current test is "very easy" and allows individuals to "memorize the answers." The agency also plans to change the H-1B visa program, which has been at the center of a dispute between immigration hard-liners and tech industry leaders, by favoring companies that pay foreign workers higher wages. Edlow's proposals aim to address criticism from the right wing of the Republican party that the program brings in workers willing to accept lower salaries than American workers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The citizenship test, which currently requires respondents to answer correctly to six out of ten questions, may be made more difficult by requiring applicants to answer correctly to 12 out of 20 questions, as was the case during the first Trump administration.
  • The agency plans to change the H-1B visa program to favor companies that pay foreign workers higher wages, in an effort to alleviate criticism that the program brings in workers willing to accept lower salaries than American workers.
  • Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S.C.I.S., has stated that the current test is not difficult enough and that the agency should aim to "comport with the spirit of the law."
  • The proposed changes to the H-1B program would have to be approved through the federal government's rule-making process.
  • Historically, 85,000 visas have been provided to hire high-skilled foreign workers at companies through a lottery process.
  • The administration's proposed changes to the H-1B program aim to address criticism from the right wing of the Republican party, which has argued that the program brings in workers willing to accept lower salaries than American workers.
  • Doug Rand, a former Biden administration official, has argued that changing the H-1B process to favor higher-wage earners is misguided and that the program should not be used to "put its thumb on the scale based on salary."

Statistics:

  • 85,000 visas are historically provided to hire high-skilled foreign workers at companies through a lottery process.
  • The citizenship test currently requires respondents to answer correctly to six out of ten questions.
  • During the first Trump administration, the agency increased the number of questions and required applicants to respond correctly to 12 out of 20 questions.

Sources:

  • The New York Times article "U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Plans to Change Test to Become Citizen" (exact date not specified)
  • Interviews with Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
  • Testimony from Doug Rand, a former Biden administration official
  • David Ryder/Getty Images article "Participants reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens in Seattle earlier this month" (exact date not specified)