Trump Cancels Citizenship Ceremonies for Would-Be Americans
The dreams of Sanam, an Iranian immigrant, have been cast into uncertainty after the US government abruptly cancelled her citizenship ceremony just two days before she was due to take her oath on December 3rd.
Sanam, who has requested to be identified only by her nickname for fear of repercussions, was left shocked and without explanation following the cancellation. “It’s been just years and just feeling drained and feeling like, can I even keep going with this process? Because it’s been so hard,” she told the BBC. “It’s just very heartbreaking.”
Living in Oregon with her US citizen husband, Sanam had navigated years of paperwork, tests, and approvals, believing she had reached the finish line. However, the BBC reports that she is one of many impacted by a recent decision from the Trump administration.
Earlier this month, the administration began cancelling naturalisation ceremonies for immigrants originating from 19 countries already subject to a travel ban, including Iran. This move leaves legal permanent residents in an indefinite state of limbo, having completed all required steps except the final oath.
“It just feels like our life is kind of in this limbo state, unstable,” Sanam stated, adding that she and her husband feel powerless. The cancellation has even prompted Sanam to reconsider her future in the US, particularly as her aging parents remain in Iran.
The decision, part of broader efforts to tighten immigration rules, comes in the wake of the shooting of National Guard members in Washington DC on November 26th. Following the incident, President Trump has paused immigration processing for individuals from the 19 affected countries, reduced work visa validity to 18 months, and halted asylum claim decisions.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services maintains that these restrictions are crucial for national security and public safety. However, Mario Bruzzone, Vice President of Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition, vehemently disagrees.
“An indefinite pause is a ban, plain and simple, and they’re using the recent shooting in DC as a pretext for an escalation in attacks on immigrants and refugees,” Mr Bruzzone told the BBC.
The experience is mirrored by Jorge, a Venezuelan immigrant whose ceremony was also cancelled less than 24 hours before it was scheduled on December 2nd. While Jorge believes stricter reviews are necessary, he expressed concern over the generalization of long-term residents with no criminal record.
“I just want those of us who have followed every rule to be able to move forward with our cases — and for those who have committed fraud or crimes to face the appropriate legal consequences,” Jorge said.
The New York Immigration Coalition estimates that approximately 132,000 Venezuelan-born people live in New York State alone and could be impacted. Sanam’s husband expressed the frustration of seeing policy change so rapidly, lamenting, “If those National Guard members weren’t attacked last week, but this week, [my wife] would be a citizen right now.” He added, “It just feels like the administration clearly didn’t let a good crisis go to waste in this case. And it’s pretty tough to be underneath that.”
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
