New citizenship test is unveiled

The L.A. Times reports:

Karen K. Narasaki, director of the Asian American Justice Center, worked with immigration officials on overhauling the test. She said the update was needed but "they seem to have missed the mark. We do think this adds to the barriers to citizenship."

Narasaki also said she thought the Bush administration might be politicizing the test.

She pointed to Question 67, which she said encapsulated the test's increased difficulty as well as a new political tinge: "The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers."

Conservatives who believe in restricting federal power often cite the Federalist Papers, a series of articles advocating ratification of the Constitution. During the 2006 immigration debate, Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) offered an amendment to require that test-takers be asked about the Federalist Papers.

"This seems to be something pushed by conservatives with a conservative agenda," Narasaki said. "There aren't a whole lot of other people who think this is relevant to a new immigrant, to help them understand who we are as a country."

Karen Naraski might be the perfect replacement for Laurence Tribe if he ever retires from Harvard.