Citizenship oath ceremonies at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall were abruptly canceled last week when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) halted naturalization for people from 19 high‑risk countries.
19 Countries on the List
USCIS identified Afghanistan, Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, Somalia and other nations as high‑risk, stopping immigration pathways for citizens of those countries.
Impact on Applicants
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) said Monday that 45 people it has been supporting for months were affected, with five cancellations and another 40 uncertain.
MIRA’s Statement
\”At least 45 people MIRA has been supporting for months as they navigate the complicated and extensive American immigration and naturalization system have been impacted by these latest abrupt changes by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Five of those individuals found out last week that, after extensive vetting, interviews and tests, their oath of citizenship at historic Faneuil Hall had been cancelled while at least 40 who had begun the process now face further uncertainty and delay. This decision and the process is as crass as it is cruel and arbitrary. People are disheartened, devastated and rightly outraged,\” MIRA Executive Director Elizabeth Sweet said.
Cancellation Notices
Most cancellations came from the 19 countries on the current ban. Several applicants received notices through an online portal that offered no guidance. Project Citizenship, which said some of its clients were impacted, provided an example of a cancellation letter.
Rolling Basis and Door‑by‑Door Cancellations
Advocates say the cancellations are issued on a rolling basis, but not everyone gets a memo. Some find out when they show up at their ceremony. Project Citizenship’s executive director Gail Breslow described a 55‑year‑old Haitian client who was turned away at the door after more than 20 years in the U.S.
\”To be literally turned away at the door is despicable,\” Breslow said. \”She’s devastated, and she’s also anxious, as is any of our clients who have been affected in this way.\”
Personal Stories
Moisés, a Connecticut resident originally from Cuba, learned of the setback on the day of his ceremony. He left Cuba 17 years ago, is nearing retirement, and is preparing for heart surgery.
\”I just want the government to consider all the people who have come to do good for this country, which helps make this country better, and not to continue with this approach,\” he said in Spanish.
Mayor Michelle Wu’s Response
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu expressed outrage over the weekend. \”It’s despicable and it is deeply painful to see this happening across the country 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,\” she said.
She reiterated that sentiment Monday, calling the action \”one more example of the cruelty of this federal administration.\” Wu also noted the effort families put into the naturalization process.
USCIS Justification
USCIS said the pause is part of an effort to strengthen screening 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 wrote Friday in a press release announcing a new screening center headquartered in Atlanta.
The Naturalization Process
The process to become a U.S. citizen typically takes between three to five years and requires an application, an interview and a test, plus hundreds of dollars in fees.
Breslow explained that naturalization \”is a way for people not only to be able to walk the streets freely, but to be able to travel freely. It also confers the right to vote the right to petition for the family members to come.\”
Media Coverage
NBC10 Boston has reached out for comment on the specific situation at Faneuil Hall but has not yet heard back.
Key Takeaways
- 45 applicants affected, 5 cancellations, 40 uncertain.
- USCIS halted naturalization for citizens of 19 high‑risk countries.
- The pause is justified by a new screening effort, citing previous administration changes.
The abrupt cancellations at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall underscore a national shift in citizenship policy, leaving dozens of hopeful applicants in limbo while the government cites heightened security concerns.
