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Rockland County Legislators: Restart Naturalization Ceremonies

In Letter To USCIS Director, Immediate Action Requested

Rockland County legislators today sent a letter expressing serious concerns about the recent cancellation of scheduled naturalization ceremonies by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The cancellations have halted the final step in the citizenship process, including for the approximate 100 residents who were to participate in a Dec. 5 county ceremony.

The letter was signed by Rockland County Legislators Jay Hood Jr., Aney Paul, Alden Wolfe, Phil Soskin, Paul Cleary, Itamar Yeger, Toney Earl, Beth Davidson, Jesse Malowitz, Moshe Hopstein, Joel Friedman and Dana Stilley. It was sent to USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow.

Naturalization ceremonies are the culminating milestone for immigrants who have completed years of residency, background checks, English and civics requirements, and extensive application processing. Without the ceremony, applicants cannot take the Oath of Allegiance and therefore cannot be recognized as U.S. citizens.

Legislators warn that the delays are creating significant hardships for affected families.

“Becoming a U.S. citizen is not just a legal process - it is an emotional and life-changing moment,” said Legislator Paul Cleary. “Many of these residents have spent years preparing for this day. To have their ceremony cancelled at the last minute is devastating.”

The impacts extend beyond personal milestones. Some applicants are now facing expiring travel documents, work complications, and stalled efforts to fully participate in civic life.

“These cancellations create unnecessary instability for families who have followed every rule and done everything asked of them,” said Legislator Aney Paul, who immigrated from India and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. “Our county values its immigrant communities, and we are calling on USCIS to immediately provide clarity, a timeline for rescheduling, and the resources needed to prevent this from happening again.”

County legislators are urging USCIS to:

• Provide immediate written notice and guidance to affected applicants

• Prioritize rescheduling ceremonies within the next 30 days

• Address staffing and processing shortages contributing to the cancellations

• Coordinate with county governments to minimize future disruptions

Legislator Yeger said, "I am a first generation American. Both my parents were legal immigrants arriving on our shores in the years after the Holocaust and towards the promise of a better life. My family's success is a testament to this country's greatness. We speak often nowadays about a legal path to citizenship. We seek to encourage people who can contribute to our society to come here and become citizens. We should not be turning our backs on those who accepted this bargain just before they join the ranks of citizens.”

Legislator Davidson said, “Having witnessed naturalization ceremonies here in Rockland County, I can attest firsthand this is a mean-spirited and inequitable decision. Naturalization ceremonies are joyful occasions, often with spouses and children in attendance. Moving them out of the county and down to New York City will create unfair barriers for those who already balance jobs and childcare and make it harder for family to participate.”

There are indications that USCIS may want to require all citizenship candidates in NY state to travel into Manhattan – to 26 Federal Plaza - to complete the naturalization process. The building has offices for the citizenship agency as well as for ICE, and it has become the epicenter of immigration arrests in NY city. 

Legislator Malowitz said, “As a former congressional staffer, I saw firsthand the time, effort and waiting involved in the naturalization process. Cancelling the naturalization ceremonies for people who went through the full legal process is unacceptable. These people should be welcomed as citizens with open arms, instead of having their American Dream shut down right before they finally receive their citizenship.”

In a separate email to Hannah Kwok, section chief of the New York City field office for USCIS, sent early today, Legislator Cleary stated, “My Irish-born grandparents all took the oath.  I attend the Rockland County Naturalization ceremonies regularly and it’s one of my proudest moments as an elected official to see these people take their oath.  Some of them have waited over 20 years and paid thousands of dollars.  In a country where we encourage people to “do it the right way,” we should support those who have done so.  Why would we make the process any more burdensome than it already is?  I urge you to reconsider this ill-conceived policy and restore all Naturalization ceremonies immediately.”

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