Bill Grants Immigrant From Taiwan Citizenship

President Bush signed a private bill Monday that will allow a San Diego man with Down’s syndrome to become a U.S. citizen, even though he has been unable to pass the naturalization exam.

Michael Wu, 26, made six attempts at the exam between 1985 and 1988 but failed each time, despite hundreds of hours of preparation.

Down’s syndrome, a congenital disease, causes mental disabilities that make Wu unable to memorize the answers to questions on U.S. history and politics on the exam that all adults who want to become citizens must know.

Wu, who speaks both English and Chinese, immigrated to the United States from Taiwan 12 years ago and has permanent resident status. But he longed to become a citizen like his parents and two brothers.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego), who said he never knew anyone who wanted to be a citizen more than Wu.

“This is great,” Lowery said in a statement from Washington. “It is one of the most personally rewarding experiences of being a legislator.”

At a special citizenship ceremony, Lowery plans to present Wu with the pen used by the President to sign the bill. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place in San Diego by the end of the month, a Lowery spokeswoman said.

The bill exempts Wu from the exam by allowing him to be considered a child under the age of 18 for the purposes of citizenship. Children under 18 can become citizens without taking the exam if their parents are citizens.

The bill won’t help other immigrants who are unable to pass the exam.