November 21, 2025
The Trump administration is canceling citizenship ceremonies throughout Upstate New York, citing unmet eligibility necessities.
The Trump administration canceled a number of citizenship ceremonies at county courts throughout Upstate New York, citing failure to satisfy authorized necessities for conducting the naturalization occasions.
After stories emerged that the federal authorities was canceling naturalization ceremonies throughout New York counties with out clarification, a spokesperson supplied some perception into why the Trump administration is not permitting county courts or state supreme courtroom justices to supervise citizenship ceremonies.
“After reviewing the jurisdiction of sure New York county courts beneath the Immigration and Nationality Act, we now have decided that these courts don’t meet the statutory necessities to conduct naturalization ceremonies,” a spokesperson informed Syracuse’s WSYR-TV. “In consequence, U.S.C.I.S. will transition from judicial to administrative ceremonies to make sure compliance with the legislation.”
Sometimes, judges preside over naturalization ceremonies in courthouses, whereas USCIS handles administrative ceremonies at regional places of work. Nonetheless, many judges in Upstate New York had been not too long ago instructed to cease with out clarification.
Onondaga County Clerk Emily Bersani confirmed that her deliberate Nov. 19 ceremony was canceled with no purpose given and stated she has not obtained any updates on 2026 ceremonies, together with the annual New People Day on the New York State Truthful.
Hudson Valley Rep. Mike Lawler despatched a letter this week to Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS), urging the company to reverse the ceremony cancellations.
“My spouse is an immigrant – one of many happiest days of our lives is when she attended a Naturalization Ceremony and have become an American citizen,” Lawler wrote within the letter to Edlow. “Stealing that very same pleasure from different to be-citizens is flawed, plain and easy.”
The affect of the change on naturalization ceremonies often held in federal courtrooms, similar to on the Federal Constructing in downtown Syracuse, stays unclear. The Northern District of New York nonetheless lists a number of upcoming ceremonies on its web site, and a district spokesperson confirmed they’re nonetheless scheduled to happen.
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