Hundreds Denied Citizenship Oath by Trump Policy

M.A. Dworkin

U.S.A. - Hundreds of immigrants, who had already passed every step in the years-long naturalization process, and needed only to take the oath of allegiance at ceremonies,  were abruptly halted in the process as they awaited their citizenship certificates at naturalization ceremonies in a number of cities across the country. 

A federal directive handed down by U.S. Immigration and Customs Services on December 2, 2025, instructed employees of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to halt immigration pathways to all people from 19 nations deemed high risk, already under a travel ban, from Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

At Indianapolis Union Station, 38 of the 100 participants had their naturalization event abruptly canceled, as did a number of would-be participants at Boston’s Faneuil Hall, along with dozens of other cancellations at similar events across the U.S. 

“It’s despicable and it is deeply painful to see this happening across the country,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “But to feel it at the ‘cradle of liberty’ in Boston at Faneuil Hall, a place that represents the foundation of this country and the very values that have made our nation who we are is particularly hurtful.”

USCIS said the pause in the naturalization process for many immigrants is part of an effort to strengthen its screening processes and keep criminals from entering the U.S.

“We changed that approach on day one of the Trump Administration. Under President Trump, we are building more protective measures that ensure fraud, deception, and threats do not breach the integrity of our immigration system,” USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow stated at a recent press conference that covered the new policy. 

But in Akron, Ohio, on the same day of December 8th, when so many were being cancelled out, 46 immigrants were called across the stage at the Akron-Summit County Public Library to receive their naturalization certificates. None of the newly pronounced citizens were from banned countries on the Trump Administration list. 

These latest actions come as the Trump Administration is reportedly weighing the option of expanding the June travel order, which has initially affected 19 countries, to as many as 30 to 32, as per the recommendation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

In the wake of the shooting in Washington, D.C. that killed one National Guard soldier and critically injured another, by a suspected Afghan national, the USCIS has confirmed the recent selective pause in the naturalization process. The pause applies to all form types and prevents officers from issuing approvals or denials or completing oath ceremonies. The agency also suspended asylum decisions and said it would re-examine green cards already issued to migrants from countries subject to the ban.   

The included 19 nations for full or partial immigration limits were as follows: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

“The Trump Administration is making every effort to ensure that individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best,” said USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser. “Citizenship is a privilege, not a right.”