For immigrants, naturalization ceremonies represent the culmination of their years-long efforts to obtain citizenship. Before a federal judge, permanent residents raise their right hands, repeat their oath of loyalty to their new country, and usually wave a small American flag with pride once the judge confirms their citizenship.
On December 4, inside Boston’s Faneuil Hall—the historic site where revolutionaries like Samuel Adams promoted the idea of American freedom—one of these events took another turn. USCIS officers denied entry to several people who attended the naturalization ceremony, according to the Citizenship Project, a nonprofit organization that provides legal support to those seeking citizenship. Each of these individuals was from one of 19 countries identified by the Trump administration as high security risks under a December 2 Department of Homeland Security order. notewhich imposed the immediate suspension and review of immigration applications from those countries, including Haiti, Afghanistan and Venezuela.
What happened at the Boston ceremony is part of a tightening of the naturalization process across the country. In late November, New York State Attorney General Letitia James wrote message To USCIS questioning its decision to cancel ceremonies in several counties in its state; USCIS said the counties “did not meet the requirements.” Legal requirementsAnd on December 9 in Indianapolis, 38 out of 100 potential citizens had done so. I turned away At their party, according to local news reports. Local media in Atlanta reported that on December 12, Three immigrants Their swearing-in ceremony was cancelled.
Why did we write this?
In Boston and other cities, naturalization ceremonies for some legal permanent residents were canceled amid the Trump administration’s review of applicants from 19 countries identified as posing high security risks.
The effort to clamp down on legal immigration pathways comes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, one of whom was killed, just before Thanksgiving. An Afghan national who entered the country legally in 2021 through a program for allies who served alongside the U.S. military has been detained. Charged With first degree murder. In the wake of this attack, President Donald Trump quickly announced major restrictions on immigration, including a suspension of asylum decisions. This week, the Trump administration 20 countries added To the list of countries whose citizens face a complete or partial ban on entering the United States
Those who apply for naturalization are some of the most carefully vetted immigrants in the country. To be eligible, an immigrant must generally be a lawful permanent resident At least five yearsBe a “person of good morals” and pass civics and English language tests. The process can take a while ContractsThe swearing-in ceremony is largely viewed as a formality.
Gail Breslow, executive director of the Boston Citizenship Project, said 21 of the organization’s clients had their naturalization ceremonies canceled this month. Customers were pulled out of line at the December 4th party or notified via email that their celebrations scheduled for December 4th or 10th were cancelled.
Ms. Breslow says one of the clients who was personally turned away had lived in the United States for more than 20 years. “She had her background checked, she was fingerprinted, her photographs were taken, her knowledge of American civics was tested. … This is someone who has already been told that she has been approved for citizenship.”
In Minnesota, naturalization ceremonies have also been canceled in recent weeks, says Jane Grubman, executive director of the International Institute of Minnesota, which provides legal services to immigrants. Only four of the organization’s clients were granted citizenship this month, compared to a typical 40 to 70 clients. In addition, the institute has documented more than 60 cases since November of immigrants who received fee waivers for their citizenship applications, with officials from USCIS’s fraud division showing up at their homes to review documents such as tax records and mortgages, according to Ms. Grubman.
In a statement to Al-Monitor, a USCIS spokesperson said the agency has “temporarily suspended all adjudications for aliens from high-risk countries” while it “works to ensure all aliens from these countries are screened and vetted to the greatest extent possible.”
“The pause will allow for comprehensive screening of all pending benefit applications for foreigners from designated high-risk countries,” the statement said. “The safety of the American people always comes first.”
Immigration lawyers and advocates have condemned the repeals as unnecessary and cruel.
“By the time you actually get to the party, you’ve gone through so many steps and so many processes; you already feel like an American,” says Jeffrey Thielman, president and CEO of the International Institute of New England, which supports immigrants and refugees. “It’s frustrating for people, and it creates more anxiety among the immigrant population.”
The Trump administration’s actions come at a time when national support for the president’s handling of immigration is waning. Recent poll The Associated Press-NORC found that approval of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies fell from 49% in March to 38% in early December.
“Tip of the iceberg”
Over the past year, the White House has made illegal immigration a focal point of its agenda — from large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to mobilizing National Guard troops, Border Patrol, and other federal agencies to assist immigration enforcement officers. Now, recent USCIS policies are restricting legal immigration paths, creating barriers to those seeking citizenship.
Jenny Kain, an attorney with Kain Immigration, notes that canceling naturalization ceremonies is “the tip of the iceberg” regarding potential outcomes from the USCIS memo.
under Section 1447(b) of Title 8 of the United States CodePeople withdrawn from naturalization ceremonies must be certified as citizens within 120 days of their citizenship interview. Ms Kane points out that legal action is likely to be taken on behalf of those whose celebrations were cancelled. Her greatest concern is for those from 19 high-risk countries who have pending asylum cases or are seeking a green card.
“I have [a client] He has been waiting since 2014 for a decision on his asylum case. …And now he will not get a decision.”
Ms. Kane is also concerned that the number of countries at high risk is increasing. It’s not yet clear whether citizens already in the United States — but from the latest countries added to the Trump administration’s travel ban — will also face additional screening for asylum, green card or citizenship claims.
The Trump administration may also intensify its efforts to revoke citizenship from some who have already been naturalized. They were field offices for USCIS Request recognition Between 100 and 200 denaturalizations per month in fiscal year 2026, according to recent reporting in The New York Times.
On December 10, another ceremony was held at the John Joseph Moakley US Courthouse in Boston, days after the Faneuil Hall ceremony where immigrants were turned away. Jane Ellis, one of several volunteers helping new citizens register to vote, said additional volunteers have been called in in case of a similar disturbance.
“I can’t imagine people going through all the steps they have to go through to get to this point,” says Ms. Ellis, who began volunteering during the first Trump administration. “And to be rejected is absolutely horrific.” “I can’t even comprehend it.”
Supporters of the US administration’s immigration policies see the stricter restrictions as a blessing. Laura Reese is director of the Center for Border Security and Immigration at the Heritage Foundation Published a report This month he calls for a new immigration system that “prioritizes Americans first, legal immigrants second, and illegal aliens not at all.”
“In short, legal applicants who are eligible should be granted timely immigration benefits, and those who are ineligible should be expeditiously rejected and then promptly leave the United States,” Ms. Reiss wrote.
Immigration advocates, like Ms. Breslow, criticize the Trump administration’s recent policies to target people based on nationality, which she calls “xenophobia and racism.” Of the 19 countries at high risk, most are located in Africa or the Middle East.
“These are the people who have made their lives here,” she says. “They are our neighbors, they are our coworkers, they are people we sit next to on the bus and the subway.”
Naturalization ceremonies have long served as a beacon of hope for immigrants seeking the American dream.
Monifa Brusnitz, originally from Brazil, has lived in the United States for nine years. I entered my client’s court last week as a permanent resident, and left as a US citizen. After receiving her citizenship certificate, Ms. Prosnitz said she felt “free.”
“I don’t know how to explain it, it just is [feels] very good. Now I can vote, I can serve the country. “I can do something to be better here.”