Is citizenship a matter of law, or something deeper?

Society · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: We often view citizenship as a legal status—a passport or a right to vote. But what if it is actually a narrative of debt and origin? Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas challenges us to look past the paperwork and ask three uncomfortable questions about how we truly belong.

For many, becoming a United States citizen is defined by the rigorous mechanics of the naturalization process. This involves a formal evaluation by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ensure an applicant understands the country's democratic systems. Candidates must navigate a structured interview where they are tested on their ability to speak, read, and write in English, alongside a civics exam consisting of up to 100 possible questions regarding history, geography, and government structure. The process represents a life-changing milestone built on years of commitment and hope. Applicants must also provide personal details like their full name and current residence during the initial review.

The technical requirements are specific: during the oral portion of the civics test, an officer may ask up to 10 questions from the official list. To pass, an applicant must provide at least six correct answers. These questions serve as a gatekeeper for civic engagement, ensuring that new citizens can identify the supreme law of the land—the Constitution—and understand the roles of bodies like Congress, which is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. These exams evaluate knowledge of important historical figures as well as geography. The officer may stop the interview early if the candidate achieves the required six correct answers before reaching ten questions.

However, journalist Jose Antonio Vargas argues that legal compliance is only one layer of identity. To explore belonging philosophically, he suggests investigating three distinct queries: What was your origin? In what manner did you arrive? Which party provided funding? By shifting the focus from the 'how' of legal status to the 'who' and 'where' of personal history, Vargas encourages a reconsideration of citizenship as a shared human narrative rather than just a bureaucratic milestone. Vargas began reflecting on these themes after discovering his own illegal status at age sixteen. His inquiry seeks to redefine citizenship by birth or law through a deeper lens of personal history.

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