Throughout our country’s history, immigrants have worked hard to become naturalized citizens, and the Oath of Allegiance has sworn people into American citizenship for more than 220 years.

After completing the necessary application paperwork, getting photographed, fingerprinted and interviewed and finally being granted citizenship, the final step is to proudly take the Oath of Allegiance, and that last step is one not to be missed or taken lightly.

In addition to swearing allegiance to the United States, people are vowing to bear arms on behalf of the United States to defend her against all enemies:

“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.”

However, thanks to a belief that some people’s rights should come without responsibilities, naturalized citizens are no longer required to swear to “bear arms on behalf of the United States”. If they refuse to take up arms to defend their new homeland, they are given the option to opt out of that part of the Oath and still be granted citizenship. They are also not required to cite “any specific religious belief” to receive a modified Oath.

On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services sent out the policy alert:

“The oath includes the clauses to bear arms on behalf of the United States and to perform noncombatant service in the U.S. armed forces when required by law. An applicant may be eligible for certain modifications to the oath to exclude the clauses based on religious training and belief or a conscientious objection.”

Information confirming these permitted modifications to the Oath can also be found on the USCIS website:

Now, as a U.S. naturalized citizen, people can vote, run for office, apply for Federal jobs, and yes: even buy a gun – all without ever pledging allegiance to the United States or requiring them to provide anything but a conscientious objection or ethical code to do so.

With 18.7 million immigrants currently eligible to become citizens, 8.8 million of whom already meet the 5-year residency requirement, I’d say this is a pretty big deal.

Responding to this blatant slap Obama is hurling across America’s face,  Lieutenant Colonel Allen B. West said:

This is what ‘common sense’ immigration reform looks like in Obama’s America. He’ll defend those here illegally, and even those here legally need not have any attachment to American culture and our way of life.

First there was ‘common sense’ gun control, and now there’s ‘common sense’ immigration reform.

One thing is for sure; every American citizen needs to ask themselves and their elected officials the question: “Who are these people looking to become naturalized citizens of a country they refuse to defend?”