U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Tuesday that it will no longer require incoming U.S. citizens to declare that they will bear arms on behalf of the United States, as stipulated in the Oath of Allegiance.
USCIS said new citizens may exclude phrases for reasons related to “religious training” or if they have a conscientious objection, including the phrase, “I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law.”
It it not required to belong to a specific church or religion, follow a particular theology or belief, or to have had religious training in order to qualify for the exemption, USCIS said, the Washington Examiner first reported.
USCIS said it is accepting feedback on the policy change through Aug. 4.
The current naturalization oath reads as follows:
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
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