Trump cancels citizenship swearing-in ceremony

At some naturalization ceremonies like the one above, flags are handed out to the new US citizens.

It looks like the Trump administration has found another way to make life harder for immigrants, especially those from certain countries they've decided are "high-risk." The latest target? The final, joyous step of the naturalization process: the citizenship ceremony itself.

A recent Trump administration policy has led to the cancellation of naturalization oath ceremonies for some immigrants in Massachusetts and across the US. This policy specifically affects individuals who are originally from one of 19 countries deemed "high-risk."

The cancellations are a direct result of a new order from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), issued on Dec. 2, which mandated an immediate pause on all immigration applications for nationals from these specific countries as part of an effort to strengthen screening processes.

Reports out of Massachusetts describe US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers playing a real-life version of "red light, green light" at Faneuil Hall. Except, instead of a game, they were asking people their country of origin and "plucking" those from specific nations right out of line, effectively canceling their long-awaited moment to become US citizens. 

This is a direct result of a new USCIS memo, issued on December 2, 2025, that mandates a total freeze on applications for nationals from 19 identified countries to allow for "strengthened screening." Mind you, many of these individuals had already jumped through every hoop the system put in front of them, some after decades of legal residency. This isn't about security; it's about cruelty and creating a system "stacked against immigrants of color."

This blanket policy is a slap in the face to due process and an affront to America's  guiding principle that immigrants make this country better.

Here are the 19 countries impacted by this discriminatory order, including several in Asia: 

• Afghanistan
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Burundi

• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Cuba
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Laos
• Libya
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela
• Yemen

Advocacy groups like the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) are calling it what it is: un-American. They are among the legal advocates exploring challenges, arguing the policy violates basic due process and treats people as security risks based solely on where they were born, not their individual merits or security history.

 "The administration’s exploitation of the tragedy to push xenophobic policies is misguided and cruel. These new policies fuel racial animus and seek to vilify many based on the alleged actions of one," states AAAJ in a press release.  

“The United States was founded on the principles of protecting and accepting immigrants seeking safety, opportunity, and liberty from oppression. The new constraints victimize immigrants going through the legal immigration process, especially endangering those seeking asylum and refuge from life-threatening conditions in their countries of origin." 

The AAAJ statement continues: “Individuals with canceled naturalization ceremonies and green card interviews have followed the rules and waited years for the immigration process to play out. Others who have already received benefits will now have to fear losing their status. ... In addition, needlessly re-reviewing applications worsens immigration case backlog and will strain government resources."  

In the meantime, the customary flag-waving at previous events will have to wait. People's dreams and hopes of becoming US citizens , a process that takes years, were suddenly crushed. Instead of celebrating, they find themselves  in a legal limbo, being told they'll get more info via a separate notice.

This policy, effective Dec. 2, requires all nationals from these countries with pending applications to undergo a thorough re-review process, including potential re-interviews, which has caused immediate delays and cancellations of previously scheduled ceremonies.

The message is clear: the administration is determined to put up as many barriers as possible for people they deem undesirable. The fight for human rights is constant, and this is just the latest battleground.

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