▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁was ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁signed ▁into ▁law ▁by ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁that ▁re vised ▁the ▁Natural ization ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁and ▁required ▁imm igr ants ▁to ▁learn ▁English ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁become ▁natural ized ▁citizens . ▁ ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁passed ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁and ▁took ▁effect ▁September ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁It ▁was ▁repe aled ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁National ity ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁modified ▁by ▁the ▁Im m igration ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁legisl ation ▁established ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁as ▁the ▁ar b iter ▁of ▁natural ization ▁policy . ▁ ▁It ▁created ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Im m igration ▁and ▁Natural ization , ▁which ▁provided ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁uniform ▁natural ization ▁laws ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁an ▁al ien ▁could ▁be ▁natural ized ▁in ▁any ▁U . S . ▁" court ▁of ▁record ." ▁ ▁State - level ▁natural ization ▁courts ▁managed ▁proceed ings ▁and ▁had ▁varying ▁standards ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁After ▁September ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁natural ization ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁done ▁in ▁courts ▁having ▁a ▁se al ▁and ▁a ▁cl erk , ▁and ▁ex ert ing ▁universal ▁compet ence . ▁ ▁Pro vis ions ▁and ▁Effect s ▁