Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) American citizenship is not merely an administrative status, immigration benefit, welfare ticket, or entitlement to public resources. (2) American citizenship is membership in the American political community. (3) American citizenship carries rights, privileges, duties, and obligations, including allegiance to the United States, fidelity to the Constitution of the United States, obedience to the laws of the United States, and attachment to the principles of republican self-government. (4) The United States is a sovereign Nation with the inherent authority to determine who may join the Nation as a citizen. (5) Naturalization is the formal act by which an alien is admitted into the American people and assumes the obligations of American citizenship. (6) Naturalization is not a ministerial transaction. It is a solemn act of allegiance to the United States. (7) An applicant for naturalization must demonstrate more than physical presence, technical eligibility, or completion of paperwork. (8) An applicant for naturalization must demonstrate good moral character, attachment to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and favorable disposition toward the good order and happiness of the United States. (9) The oath of allegiance is not ceremonial language alone. It is the formal promise by which a new citizen renounces prior political allegiance, pledges true faith and allegiance to the United States, and accepts the duties of American citizenship. (10) A person who seeks naturalization should understand the English language, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, separation of powers, Federalism, equal citizenship, religious liberty, freedom of speech, and the duties of citizenship. (11) A person who knowingly engages in, incites, prepares, plans, assists, or provides material support for terrorism, violent revolution, political violence, the overthrow of constitutional government, transnational criminal organizations, cartels, or criminal gangs is not attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and is not well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States. (12) A person who knowingly acts as an agent, representative, or instrumentality of a foreign power, or knowingly acts under the direction or control of a foreign power, in a manner materially inconsistent with allegiance to the United States, is not attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and is not well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States. (13) Fraud, concealment, false statements, false identity, fraudulent documents, unlawful voting, obstruction of background checks, and concealment of criminal, terrorist, gang, cartel, or foreign-power affiliations corrupt the naturalization process and attack the integrity of American citizenship. (14) Congress has a duty to ensure that naturalization remains a meaningful act of allegiance, assimilation, and membership in the American Nation.