Trump Administration Plans Stricter US Citizenship Test, H-1B Visa Reforms

The Trump administration, through the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Joseph Edlow, plans to overhaul the H-1B visa program and make the U.S. citizenship test more challenging. Edlow emphasized that the current citizenship test is too easy, allowing applicants to memorize answers without truly engaging with the law's intent, and indicated a return to a more rigorous version used during Trump's first term. Regarding the H-1B visa, the administration intends to prioritize higher-wage foreign workers to ensure that the program supplements rather than supplants American workers, addressing criticisms from immigration hard-liners. This policy shift comes amid ongoing debates within the Republican Party and tech industry over the balance between protecting American jobs and meeting the demand for skilled workers. The changes are part of a broader immigration agenda including stricter enforcement and mass deportations, reflecting President Trump's continued focus on immigration reform in his second term. These moves mark a distinct shift from the previous administration's approach to legal immigration and citizenship testing.