Today, the text of the Oath of Allegiance can be found in federal codes:
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.
These federal codes also outline the alternate version that Obama has been incorrectly attributed to Obama:
(b) Alteration of form of oath; affirmation in lieu of oath. In those cases in which a petitioner or applicant for naturalization is exempt from taking the oath prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section in its entirety, the inapplicable clauses shall be deleted and the oath shall be taken in such altered form. When a petitioner or applicant for naturalization, by reason of religious training and belief (or individual interpretation thereof), or for other reasons of good conscience, cannot take the oath presc ribed in paragraph (a) of this section with the words “on oath” and “so help me God” included, the words “and solemnly affirm” shall be substituted for the words “on oath,” the words “so help me God” shall be deleted, and the oath shall be taken in such modified form. Any reference to “oath of allegiance” in this chapter is understood to mean equally “affirmation of allegiance” as described in this paragraph.
So, President Obama has not changed the Oath of Allegiance for new Americans.
Naturalized citizens were already able under law to omit portions of the oath based on “religious training and belief, or for other reasons of good conscience.”
USCIS did, however, issue new guidance that “clarifies the eligibility requirements for modifications” of the oath under current law with a three-part test:
Three-part Test
In order for an applicant to qualify for a modification based on his or her “religious training and belief,” the applicant must satisfy a three-part test. An applicant must establish that:
-He or she is opposed to bearing arms in the armed forces or opposed to any type of Service in the armed forces.
-The objection is grounded in his or her religious principles, to include other belief systems similar to traditional religion or a deeply held moral or ethical code; and
-His or her beliefs are sincere, meaningful, and deeply held.
The applicant is not eligible for a modified oath when he or she is opposed to a specific war. Religious training or belief does not include essentially political, sociological, or philosophical views. An applicant whose objection to war is based upon opinions or beliefs about public policy and the practicality or desirability of combat, or whose beliefs are not deeply held, does not qualify for the modification of the oath.
Applicant is Not Required to Belong to a Church or Religion
In addition, qualification for the exemption is not dependent upon membership in a particular religious group, nor does membership in a specific religious group provide an automatic modification to the oath. The applicant is not required to:
-Belong to a specific church or religious denomination;
-Follow a particular theology or belief; or
-Have religious training.
However, the applicant must have a sincere and meaningful belief that has a place in the applicant’s life that is equivalent to that of a religious belief. Because of this belief, for example, the applicant’s conscience may not rest or be at peace if allowed to become an instrument of war.
So, in conclusion, Obama hasn’t changed the Oath of Allegiance. Immigration Services has issued guidance to clarify who is eligible to take an alternate oath.
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