U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
on Tuesday said it will no longer require incoming U.S. citizens to
pledge that they will "bear arms on behalf of the United States" or
"perform noncombatant service" in the Armed Forces as part of the
naturalization process.
Those lines are in the Oath of Allegiance that people recite as they
become U.S. citizens. But USCIS said people "may" be able to exclude
those phrases for reasons related to religion or if they have a
conscientious objection.
USCIS said people with certain religious training or with a "deeply
held moral or ethical code" may not have to say the phrases as they are
naturalized.
The agency said people don't have to belong to a specific church or
religion to use this exemption, and may attest to U.S. officials
administering the oath that they have these beliefs.
USCIS said it would take "feedback" on this policy change through August 4, 2015.
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."
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-new-citizens-can-skip-pledge-to-take-up-arms-and-defend-the-u.s./article/2568704
http://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-clarifies-eligibility-requirements-modifications-oath-allegiance
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