Do you believe in religious freedom?

When the USCIS officer asks whether the applicant believes in religious freedom, the answer should be "Yes." Religious freedom is one of the foundational values of the United States, protected by the First Amendment and central to the country's history and identity. The First Amendment to the Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, contains two religion clauses: the Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion (no official state church), and the Free Exercise Clause prohibits Congress from making any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion (people can practice or not practice any religion).

Religious freedom in America extends to all faiths and to none: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Bahais, atheists, agnostics, and adherents of every religion enjoy equal legal protection. Applicants from countries with state religions, religious persecution, or limited religious diversity should understand that the United States protects religious diversity vigorously.

Many naturalized citizens have come to the United States precisely because of religious persecution in their countries of origin: Pilgrims escaping Anglican conformity in 1620, Quakers welcomed by Penn in 1681, Catholics escaping religious wars, Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms, Chinese and Russian Christians escaping communism, Iranians escaping the Islamic Republic, Tibetans escaping Chinese rule, Pakistani religious minorities, Iraqi Yazidis, and many others.

Religious freedom in the United States includes the right to: practice any religion openly; change religions or have no religion; share religious views with others; raise children in any faith; build places of worship; conduct religious schools; observe religious holidays and dietary laws; wear religious clothing; receive religious education; and refuse to violate religious beliefs (with reasonable accommodation in workplaces and schools under certain laws). The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and various Supreme Court cases including Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), Employment Division v. Smith (1990), Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014), and Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020) have shaped the current framework.

Religious freedom does not extend to using religion to harm others (human sacrifice, denial of medical care to children) or to break generally applicable laws (drug laws, child labor laws, antidiscrimination laws). Applicants should not feel they need to practice any particular religion to qualify for citizenship. Applicants without religious affiliation are equally welcome. The question is about the principle, not personal practice. A simple "Yes" answer affirms commitment to one of America's most distinctive constitutional principles.