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Citizen Test Changed after Suggesting Religion Only a Private Right

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WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security is changing some wording on its naturalization test about religion at the request of Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.

Sen. Lankford asked that an answer to a question about the constitutional rights of Americans on naturalization tests be changed from "freedom of worship" to "freedom of religion."

The question on the test is "What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?"

Lankford argued the distinction is important because the U.S. Constitution promises freedom of religion, not worship. That means Americans can practice their faith in their every day life, not just while they are physically inside their house of worship.

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services originally told Sen. Lankford there were no plans to change the test or study materials.

However, in a letter received by Lankford Thursday, Director León Rodriguez writes "upon further consideration, however, we have determined that making this change is feasible because it is a change in terminology rather than an addition or deletion of test content."

Sen. Lankford applauded the decision.

"We as Americans don't have freedom of worship, other nations have that. We have the free exercise of religion," he said. "It means you can live your faith anywhere you want to live your faith, any place, publically, privately."

"So for new citizens coming in, for a long time that have heard that our nation just has freedom of worship, they're now actually going to get the correct information now, that as a new citizen of this great nation you do also have something you didn't have in the past, for many of them, that's the free exercise of your religion," he added.

Rodriguez wrote that in accordance with agency policy of accepting alternative phrasing of correct answers, immigration officers will continue to accept "freedom of worship" as an acceptable answer when administering the naturalization test.

As a result of the change, 40 different related U.S. citizenship publications will be updated.

"I challenge people that in this unique freedom that we have as a nation, if you are a person of faith, live your faith. Don't just ignore that," Lankford said. That is an important part of who we are, both as Americans and who we are as families."

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