They Said Becoming American Was Supposed to Be a Dream—Now Trump’s Team Wants to Make It Even Harder

Imagine this: you’ve spent years working, learning the language, following every rule, holding onto the dream of becoming an American citizen. And just when you’re finally getting close… the goalposts quietly start to move.

That’s what’s happening now—and it’s shaking a lot of people.

The Trump administration is once again trying to leave its mark on America’s immigration system. And this time, it’s not just about walls or headlines—it’s about the citizenship test. Yes, that test. The one that decides if someone officially becomes American or not.

According to Joseph Edlow, the official Trump appointed to lead U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the current test is just too easy. In his words, “It’s very easy to memorize the answers,” and that’s apparently not good enough.

But take a second to think about that—what’s it actually saying? These are people who’ve already waited years, jumped through hoops, paid thousands, and lived in uncertainty. And now they’re being told they need to do more. That the test they studied for—about the country they’re desperate to belong to—isn’t challenging enough?

The plan is to bring back a longer, tougher version of the test from Trump’s first term—more questions, more chances to get tripped up. And that’s not all. Edlow’s also talking about changes to H-1B work visas, saying that maybe they should go only to people with higher-paying job offers. Translation? If you’re a talented immigrant but don’t have a big paycheck lined up, you might not be “valuable” enough.

He claims it’s about protecting American workers. But many are hearing something else entirely: If you’re not rich enough, fluent enough, or lucky enough, then maybe you don’t belong.

Here’s the twist: back in 2021, Biden’s team had reversed these exact changes. They went back to the simpler test, one that still required knowledge but didn’t feel like a trap. It was more human, more realistic. But now, the pendulum is swinging again.

And you have to ask—what kind of country do we want to be?

Because for thousands chasing that citizenship dream, this isn’t just about a test. It’s about dignity. It’s about finally being seen as one of us.

And just like that, the dream seems to slip a little farther out of reach.