Paul Bedard in the Washington Examiner, a noted watchdog of federal shenanigans, has found a new report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIIS) that is appalling reading for any citizen who thinks new arrivals should be ready to contribute to making the country stronger.

Bedard writes, "In a stunning indictment of the system that tests immigrants on their eligibility to become 'naturalized citizens,' a new report finds that a third are functionally illiterate, unable to speak and understand enough English to get that status."

And the language ability doesn’t appear to improve over time. An earlier report found that 67 percent of the immigrants that have been in the U.S. for at least 15 years aren’t anywhere near fluent in English. They are evidently still pressing #2 for Spanish.

The U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) assures suspicious taxpayers that prospective U.S. citizens are required to "be able to read, write, and speak basic English" and "have a basic understanding of U.S. history and government (civics)."

So what gives?

Easy, it’s an English proficiency standard approved by the same federal organization that allowed the San Bernardino shooters to get their papers. USCIS employees believe if a prospective immigrant can read aloud one out of three sentences in a multiple-choice test and write out one of three sentences in the same multiple–choice test, then they are ready to work in the customer service department at Chipotle that same day.

And the civics part? Promising to vote for Democrats will surely get them a passing grade.

Unfortunately that isn’t a test, it’s a joke. I’m fairly certain the same open borders groups that train illegals on the magic words to tell ICE to gain "refugee" status if they’re caught, also have a copy of the naturalization “test” so the magic sentences can be memorized before applying for citizenship.

These new "citizens" only role will be to join an underclass that’s dependent on the government. Their limited English proficiency condemns them to a life on the margins where they will never be able to participate fully in the opportunity our nation offers those who are fully educated and able to embrace it.

Importing poverty and ignorance only makes sense if your responsibility for the creation of a "Juan Crow" system can be soothed by the knowledge you’re adding to the base of your political party.

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker’s bureau. Read more reports from Michael Reagan — Go Here Now.