Coming To the U.S.A.

Keeping this within the temporal realm of the U.S.A. there are a lot of things going on in our current era that are being left unrecognized about people entering our borders.

Once a person enters the border of another country it is reasonable to expect some challenge before Naturalization is bestowed.

Immigrate: To come to a country of which one is not a native; usually for permanent residence.

Emigrate: To leave one country or region to settle in another.

Naturalize: To confer citizenship upon (an alien).

The Constitution recognizes Naturalization as an important facet of government.

U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Para 4: “To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization…”

U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 1, Para 5: “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

U.S. Constitution,, Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside…”

People have been coming to the constitutional U.S.A. since its inception two hundred thirty-six years ago. The laws have changed over time with “tests” and “oaths” being cornerstones.

There is a peculiarity with “passing a test” so citizenship can be conferred; that is the expectation everybody else who is a citizen can also pass the test…with the objective the test would help everyone agree to live by the law of the land.

Unfortunately, for many honest, caring and decent people who legally immigrate to the U.S.A, that turns out to be a rude slap in the face…a bucket of cold dirty water thrown on them…many citizens born here cannot justify the citizenship that is conferred upon them by their birthright.

I have witnessed a daughter of a Vietnam Vet who could not pass the online sample civics citizenship test say, “I don’t have to do anything for you.” I was not mad; I felt sorry for her. I have witnessed a Vietnam Vet who went on to have NSA clearance, say after taking the same online civics citizenship test and peremptorily closing his laptop declare, “I passed.” Without sharing his results, then, added, “I had to guess at some of the questions.” Uh huh. Again, I am not mad, but disappointed over the apparent deceit.

And the kicker is, the online civics citizenship test is fairly simple, and in my opinion more geared to American History than what it takes live and maintain a Republic. Not to mention the online sample test is multiple choices…which means if you peruse the answers and don’t know the correct one…you can look at the answers and try and determine which are not the correct ones and eliminate them from being possibly correct. It is hard to fail.

But alas, the situation is worse, I know a lady from Brazil, cute as a bug, who did not pass the real civics citizenship test in the early 1970’s, and was still allowed to take the Naturalization Oath and was conferred citizenship.

First a weak test…then no grading standard enforced…the consequences can’t be encouraging.

Why the concern? Well, of course, the current state of affairs at the southern border.

Historically, what happened when the Apaches made mince-meat of what the Americans and the Mexicans agreed was the border in the 1880’s? The Apaches did not recognize any border…they had been on that land for a long long time. And the American Army did not chase the Apaches into Mexico…and the Mexicans who were hard on the Apaches did not chase them into the USA…save for a few anomalies. Eventually, enough pressure was put on the Apaches they abandoned their cross-border forays.

Jump to the Mexican Revolution with Pancho Villa circa 1911-15, beaucoup Mexican’s made their way up to the USA and were permitted to enter, (“Rein of Gold” by Victor Villaseñor.)

These people travelled the same routes, the same paths, the same arroyos the people in the current influx are using.

Can they pass the civics citizenship test? Probably not. But then again, the civics citizenship test is so simple it is banal…let alone the questionable enforcing of grading standards.

Which leads us to the crux of the matter; The Naturalization Oath.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.” – Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America

People entering the U.S.A., before being conferred citizenship have to take this Oath. Yes, words on paper are just that. Yes, promises and oaths made are only as good as the person making them. However, they are documentation and necessary for establishing a trail and expectation of conduct.

I find it heartening people entering the U.S.A. have to renounce and abjure allegiance and fidelity to other non-Republic ways of government and life.

That being said, I find it alarming they have to promise, “…that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law…”

That smacks. They have to promise to “work” when the government says they have to. Bogus. Yes, there are things of “national importance” that require hands on effort…but that is a dangerous power to grant to government. The reality of Soviet citizens in the U.S.S.R. being convicted under Article 58 of their penal code was their being sent to the Gulags was a “work reassignment.” The Gulags needed workers…and thus people were convicted and sent to work.

Which brings us to the point, the people crossing the southern border illegally are:

Not being presented a test and passing,
Not abjuring all allegiance and fidelity to ways of life which are anti-Constitutional and anti-Republic,
Are not promising to work when the governments says they have to by law.

No, the majority crossing illegally could not pass a civics test. And it is disturbing the U.S.A. would make them promise to “work.” But the real long term consequences for the U.S.A. is we want ya’ll to be Americans…don’t bring your allegiances to Kings, Queens, Princes, Princess, Lords, Ladies, Dictators, Oligarchies, Religious Leaders, Class Dictatorships, Global Proletariat or any other special privileged people to this land.

Please…just bring reason and love for freedom and liberty.

The Naturalization Interview and Test