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On 21 July 2015, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy alert with the subject Modifications to Oath of Allegiance for Naturalization [PDF]. Immediately, social media users and blogs declared the policy change a fundamental threat to American tradition, posting tweets (examples of which are embedded above) decrying the changes and circulating articles holding that President Obama had removed a pledge to defend the USA from the oath: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told Breitbart that the policy update was ridiculous, and (inaccurately) claimed USCIS was changing the oath: Some key details were lost in translation, however. While naturalized citizens are required to swear an oath that includes their promise to bear arms on behalf of the United States and to perform noncombatant service in the U.S. armed forces when required by law, existing policy already allowed new citizens to obtain waivers to delete or modify portions of the oath that conflicted with their deeply held beliefs or religious tenets (including the bearing of arms or military service). The policy update simply clarified the eligibility requirements for those religiously-based waivers; it didn't change the oath itself: The Oath of Allegiance Modifications and Waivers policy page linked above explains that the standard of proof required for an applicant to obtain a waiver to the oath based upon religious or conscientious objection was already high: The policy guidance indicates applicants are required to pass a three-part test during which time they have to explicitly establish the basis of their religious or conscientious objection to military service. Moreover, no such waiver is allowable in scenarios involving objection to a specific war or conflict (merely a broader belief held against the concept of war or bearing arms): The clause Jindal and many social media users found so important was not one that dated to the American Revolution or any far-flung point in history. In fact, it wasn't a part of the oath until 1950 (followed by a final update in 1952 pertaining to civilian conscription): So while the USCIS clarified (and expanded) circumstances under which naturalization applicants may apply for a waiver to portions of the oath of allegiance pertaining to swearing to engage in armed defense of the United States, those who wish to obtain such a waiver are required to provide extensive proof of religious or conscientious objections. More important, the Oath of Allegiance for naturalization was not changed and will remain the same for newly naturalized individuals: the 21 July 2015 policy update issued by USCIS simply clarified existing circumstances under which applicants could apply for a waiver to portions of the oath.
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