Purposes

The purposes of this Act are— (1) to restore naturalization as a serious act of joining the American people; (2) to reaffirm that American citizenship is a bond of allegiance, constitutional attachment, civic duty, and membership in the Nation; (3) to strengthen the civics, English, and constitutional-attachment requirements for naturalization; (4) to ensure that applicants for naturalization understand the oath of allegiance before becoming citizens; (5) to prevent persons who engage in, incite, prepare, plan, assist, or provide material support for terrorism, violent revolution, political violence, criminal gangs, cartels, or the overthrow of constitutional government from obtaining citizenship; (6) to prevent persons knowingly acting as agents, representatives, or instrumentalities of a foreign power, or knowingly acting under the direction or control of a foreign power, in a manner materially inconsistent with allegiance to the United States, from obtaining citizenship; (7) to impose meaningful consequences on persons who defraud, corrupt, obstruct, or abuse the naturalization process; and (8) to ensure that the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is marked by a renewed national commitment to American citizenship, constitutional liberty, and civic obligation.