Hundreds of aspiring Americans were left in limbo after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services cancelled naturalization ceremony across upstate New York, according to US news outlet Times Union and NewsChannel 13’s sources. For the time being, there is no date of their resumption in sight.
According to county clerks who spoke on the matter, at least seven counties in New York have followed suit and pulled the plug on naturalization ceremonies for the time being. It remains unclear as to why the decision was made as no official clarification accompanied the reported email announcements.
New York counties hit with USCIS emails to cancel naturalization ceremonies
“All candidates scheduled to take the Naturalization Oath will be notified individually and provided with information regarding rescheduling,” the emails read, according to the Times Union. “Furthermore, there will be no more upstate ceremon(ies) moving forward.”
Those to have received emails related to the issue are Westchester, Washington, Tompkins, Rockland, Broome, Schenectady and Onondaga counties.
It appears as if these emails could have actually been sent a bit earlier, as they were pushed shortly after the conclusion of the historic US government shutdown. The event inevitably delayed many events.
Expressing frustration over the development, Schenectady County Clerk Cara Ackerley said this marked the first time she had got such an order. With officials not issuing any clarification backing the decision, she called the update “nerve-wracking.”
Given that the counties work in collaboration with venue partners and other administrative personnel to make the ceremonies possible, she added, “…not knowing why the cancellation had to happen abruptly was jarring and not having the facts is also jarring.”
What is a US naturalization ceremony?
For the unversed, this serves as the final step in becoming an American citizen, as it offers a platform to take the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ to the United States.
The official website states: “If USCIS approves your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, we will schedule you to take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. The naturalization ceremony is the culmination of the naturalization process.”
Although they have now been cancelled indefinity, the government website’s original assertion was: “Failing to appear more than once for your naturalization ceremony may lead to a denial of your application.”
When checking in for your naturalization ceremony, you must return your Permanent Resident Card or Green Card to the authorities. This particular documentation will no longer be required once you take the Oath of Allegiance, and subsequently receive your Certificate of Naturalization.
While at the ceremony, newly affirmed US citizens will be provided with additional information on the various benefits and services you will eventually have the access to. As a result, you will get an application for a US passport at the ceremony – all included in the US Citizenship Welcome Packet. Additionally, you will get a voter registration application.
Following your naturalization ceremony, a new US citizen should update their Social Security record with the Social Security Administration (SSA) by either submitting Form DD-5, Application for a Social Security Card, or by mailing it in person or at your local SSA office.
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler demands reversal of USCIS cancellation
Addressing the reported cancellation of naturalization ceremonies Rockland and Westchester counties, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler penned a letter to the USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. As per his office’s press release dated November 18, 2025, the US rep has demanded the decision be reversed.
“I have attended many naturalization ceremonies during my time in public office,” he wrote. “These ceremonies are emotional and one of the most patriotic expressions I’ve seen in our public systems. The individuals participating truly believe in the American Dream, and they have waited their whole lives to become a citizen of our great nation.”
Alluding to his wife’s immigrant identity, he said, “we owe it to these new Americans not to pull the rug out from under them.” Noting how his partner’s naturalization ceremony was “one of the happiest days” of their lives, he added that snatching the same from other to-be-US citizens was “wrong, plain and simple.”
Lawler is since said to have also engaged in a productive call with USCIS leadership. He is holding out big hopes about a “timely reversal” that will ultimately restore the ceremonies in the counties.
What is the ‘voter registration ban’ lawsuit about?
These development ties to the citizenship affirmation ceremonies align with the emergence of the lawsuit ‘League of Women Voters v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.’
According to the Democracy Docket, the League of Women Voters of the United States and several others filed their complaint against USCIS’ August 2025 policy banning NGOs assisting voter registration during naturalization ceremonies. The suit indicated that USCIS’ 2011 policy suggested that NGOs were allowed to help new citizens register to vote at the ceremonies when local official could not. However, an August 29 directive overturned the system.
Through their lawsuit, plaintiffs are challenging the authorities, arguing that the ban violates the Administrative Procedure Act. It calls on the infringement of their First Amendment rights to free expression and association.