Cancelation of naturalization ceremonies is ‘disturbing to the utmost degree,’ Wu says

Local News

Immigrants from certain “high-risk” countries on the verge of gaining their citizenship are being turned away by federal officials.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu took to Faneuil Hall Tuesday morning to sharply criticize federal officials after the Trump administration canceled naturalization ceremonies there for people on the verge of gaining their citizenship in recent weeks.  

Wu called those actions “infuriating” and “disturbing to the utmost degree” during a press conference alongside City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Gail Breslow, executive director of the nonprofit Project Citizenship. 

Breslow decried the “indignity” of immigrants being pulled out of line before their naturalization ceremonies due to their country of origin. So far, 21 Project Citizenship clients have had their ceremonies abruptly cancelled because they are from what the federal government calls “high-risk countries of concern,” Breslow said.  

The specific countries with this designation were outlined in a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump in June. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services outlined new policy changes in a memo earlier this month, instructing officials to pause the application process for immigrants from these countries and to re-review applicants on a case-by-case basis. The government cited the recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national in justifying the new policies, saying that greater restrictions are needed to improve public safety. 

There are hundreds of other Project Citizenship clients in a sort of “limbo” right now, unsure of how to proceed amid the shifting landscape, Breslow said. The notices that were given to the immigrants who had their naturalization ceremonies canceled said very little, she added. They only cited “unforseen circumstances” and said that further communication would be forthcoming. 

The recipients of the notices may have to be interviewed further by USCIS, despite the fact that they have already undergone a rigorous vetting process and were previously cleared to become citizens.

“Literally, to be on the doorstep of Faneuil Hall and be told to leave the premises, that this event is not for you on this particular day, is a despicable act of racism and xenophobia on the part of this administration,” Breslow said.

Most of the Project Citizenship clients who have been impacted are from Haiti, Venezuela, and Eritrea, she said. Last week, Breslow described to Boston.com how a Haitian woman in her mid-50s who has been living in America for more than 20 years was pulled out of line by USCIS officials in Faneuil Hall. That woman told Project Citizenship how other immigrants were being systematically asked about their counties of origin and pulled aside based on their answers. 

“The Trump Administration is making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake. The Trump Administration is reviewing all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from Countries of Concern,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a previous statement.

Breslow described how clients are feeling fearful, angry, and confused in the wake of the recent policy changes. Some are wondering if they will be deported, others fret over the possibility of restarting their entire naturalization process. In the two weeks since USCIS began issuing notices of canceled ceremonies, Project Citizenship clients have received no more information from the federal government, according to Breslow. 

She hopes more information will become known once USCIS sets up a new vetting center in Atlanta. This facility will “leverage state-of-the-art technologies, including artificial intelligence” to “centralize the enhanced vetting of aliens and allow the agency to respond more nimbly to changes in a shifting threat landscape,” according to federal officials. 

Wu said the issue is especially painful for her, as the child of naturalized immigrants.

“I saw how hard it was to go through that process,” she said, speaking about her parents. “It meant the entire world when they were able to raise their right hands and swear an oath to this country that they loved so much that they gave up everything they knew, everyone they grew up with, to sacrifice and have just the chance that the next generation would live a better life because of the ideals and values of the United States of America.”

Wu did not announce any concrete actions in response to USCIS policy changes, but said that her administration and Project Citizenship are exploring next steps, including potential legal action. Faneuil Hall will continue to host naturalization ceremonies. 

This year Wu has sparred frequently with federal officials over immigration policy, and the Trump administration is suing the city over laws that limit cooperation with immigration officers. The naturalization ceremony cancellations do not appear to be specifically targeted at Boston, Breslow said. 

Louijeune, herself the daughter of Haitian immigrants, also spoke about the personal effect that seeing these actions had on her. She accused the Trump administration of “un-American” racism and xenophobia as well. 

Louijeune is also worried about how Trump’s immigration crackdown will harm the region’s healthcare infrastructure, transportation system, and more. 

“That this is happening is devastating and disruptive to so many families who have mortgages here, who call Boston home, who have kids in our local school districts,” she said. “If the moral argument for why this is wrong doesn’t move you, the economic argument should.”