The Biden administration this week opened the path to citizenship for immigrants with mental disabilities so great that they can’t learn basic English or pass a U.S. civics test.
The changes are raising new questions that enemies of the nation may claim mental disabilities to skirt requirements to swear loyalty to the United States or demonstrate they have good moral character.
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“It’s one thing to promote policies that encourage naturalization and make it accessible, but these new rules cross the line, diluting the requirements in a way that potentially will lead to abuse of the system,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies.
“We do not necessarily want to bar disabled immigrants from becoming citizens, but we should want the government to have appropriate rules to make sure that the attestations that naturalization applicants make are meaningful and made in good faith,” Vaughan told Secrets.
Homeland Security said it was loosening the rules under orders from President Joe Biden to remove barriers to immigration. DHS plans to change a form to help “underserved populations” win naturalization.
It targets “applicants with a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment that precludes them from fulfilling the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization,” said Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of DHS.
But in removing some requirements of immigrants, including explaining their disability, the changes go too far, said Vaughan.
“Citizenship is precious and must be earned by immigrants. It requires them to swear loyalty to our nation, demonstrate that they have good moral character, and have at least modest English proficiency and understanding of our government and society. This is not too much to ask, and exceptions should be very limited. When immigrants gain citizenship, they are then eligible to vote, sponsor family members for green cards, and hold sensitive government jobs,” said the immigration expert.
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“For example, someone with anti-American views should not be able to hide behind a concocted disability to avoid swearing loyalty to America and still become a voting citizen eligible for a security clearance,” Vaughan added.
What’s more, she said, the target population is small and can already gain access to naturalization.
“If a disabled immigrant is not competent to fulfill the requirements for naturalization, they still are able to live here as permanent residents, and it would not create problems for them; no one is sending them back to their home country. There is no penalty for not naturalizing, so there is no humanitarian reason not to have high standards,” said Vaughan.
