Jane was one month away from her naturalization ceremony, the day she would swear the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and become a citizen. It would mark the end of her decade-long journey as an immigrant since arriving from the Republic of Congo in 2015.
Then, out of the blue, she received a letter in the mail informing her that the ceremony had been cancelled.
“I followed the rules, paid the full fee, waited years, passed every step; I was at the finish line pretty much,” Jane, who is using a pseudonym to protect her identity as she fears speaking out could affect her case, tells TIME. “Having my ceremony canceled at the last minute makes me feel anxious, powerless.”
Read more: Trump Has Made Sweeping Changes to Immigration Since the D.C. Shooting. here’s What We Know
Jane is not alone.Lawyers for legal aid groups and individuals seeking citizenship have reported across the country that their naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies have been cancelled, some at the last moment as they waited in line.
These cancellations, at the last stage of a bureaucratic journey that can last for years, have caused chaos and confusion for thousands of immigrants who did everything by the book.
Citizenship Ceremonies Canceled for Applicants From ‘High-Risk’ countries
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The dreams of hundreds of legal immigrants are on hold after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) abruptly canceled naturalization ceremonies across the country. These cancellations impact applicants who have already been approved for citizenship – the ceremony is typically the final, celebratory step in a years-long process.
Jane, who asked that her last name not be used, was scheduled to become a U.S. citizen on August 23rd. she received a notice just days before the ceremony informing her it was canceled. Like many others affected, she is now in a state of uncertainty, unsure if and when she will finally achieve her long-held goal.
USCIS stated it has “paused all adjudications for aliens from high-risk countries while USCIS works to ensure that all aliens from these countries are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” The agency claims this pause will allow for a comprehensive review of pending applications from designated “high-risk countries,” prioritizing the safety of the American people.
however, critics point out that those whose ceremonies have been canceled have already undergone extensive vetting. The naturalization process requires applicants to have been lawful permanent residents for three to five years,meet continuous residence and physical presence requirements,demonstrate “good moral character,” and pass English and U.S. civics tests.
The oath-taking ceremony is the culmination of this rigorous process, a moment of profound significance for new citizens and their families. It’s a time for festivity, marked by the presentation of U.S. flags and commemorative photographs.
“It’s one step removed from denaturalizing someone,” says immigration attorney Matthew Breslow. “Literally, you receive your naturalization certificate at these ceremonies. And so the act of pulling the rug out from under people at this point in the process is just unspeakably cruel.”
Increased Scrutiny and Cancellations Raise Concerns for Green Card,Citizenship Applicants
Recent cancellations of naturalization ceremonies and green card interviews by U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have sparked concern among immigration advocates, who beleive the changes are part of a broader effort to restrict access to citizenship and increase deportation risks. While the cancellations were initially linked to the National Guard shooting in Rochester, New York, some experts argue the restrictions were pre-planned and the shooting provided a convenient justification for their implementation.
Cancellations and Increased Vulnerability
Immigration attorneys report a surge in cancelled interviews and ceremonies over the past several months.Allison Cutler, Supervising Attorney for New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)’s Immigrant Protection Unit, explained that while cancelled naturalization ceremonies simply delay the process, the cancellation of green card interviews creates a more precarious situation for applicants.
“When you have a naturalization ceremony that’s canceled, you’re still in the exact situation that you were before, right? You still have your green card and you’re eligible to reapply for citizenship in the future,” Cutler stated. “But for these green card interviews, it’s different. It leaves them in a more vulnerable situation legally, where it actually allows ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] to more easily reopen your case before the judge.”
This increased vulnerability stems from the fact that green card interviews are a critical step in the legal permanent residency process. A cancellation can allow ICE to re-examine a case and potentially initiate deportation proceedings.
Concerns Over Governance Priorities
Some advocates believe the recent actions are not solely a response to the Rochester shooting. According to Hamid Shafiqullah, the cancellations are aligned with the Biden Administration’s stated priorities regarding denaturalization – the process of revoking someone’s U.S. citizenship.
“I think all these policies were pre-written and sitting on a shelf waiting for the perfect pretext,and the shooting gave them the pretext to roll all these things out,” shafiqullah said.
This perspective suggests a intentional shift towards stricter immigration enforcement, despite campaign promises of a more humane approach. The Administration has previously indicated a focus on identifying and removing individuals who obtained citizenship fraudulently or through misrepresentation. In March 2024, the Department of Justice announced the creation of a dedicated unit focused on denaturalization cases. https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/justice-department-announces-dedicated-unit-pursue-denaturalization-cases
Impact and Future Outlook
The cancellations and increased scrutiny are creating anxiety and uncertainty for immigrants and their families. The delays and potential for increased ICE scrutiny add to the already complex and often lengthy process of obtaining legal status in the United States.
Breslow notes, “It’s been one thing after the other to discourage people and to thwart their efforts to become U.S. citizens.”
Immigration advocates are closely monitoring the situation and urging USCIS to provide greater transparency and clarity regarding the reasons for the cancellations and the future of the application process. They are also working to provide legal assistance to those affected by the changes, helping them navigate the increasingly complex immigration landscape.