The White House’s immigration crackdown has led to the cancellation of naturalization interviews, leaving many applicants uncertain about their future citizenship status.”We were there this Monday for an interview at 9:30 a.m. and we went to the window to register and we were told that all the naturalization appointments had been cancelled,” said Sacramento immigration attorney Hugo Vera. “‘De-scheduled.’ That’s the response they’re using.”This scenario is affecting numerous individuals who arrive for their interviews, only to be turned away without any answers. Vera has been handling such cases for 25 years, but this scenario is new territory. “We’ve never seen this before. A naturalization exam being canceled outright and not being told when it might be rescheduled,” he said.These cancellations coincide with shifting immigration policies, including the recent pause on applications from 19 countries deemed “high risk” by the Trump administration. However, Vera noted that his client and others present at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office were not from these countries. “They’ve stated publicly that they’re only focusing on these 19 countries for whatever political reasons, security reasons, but my applicant was not from one of those countries. And the rest of the interviewees that I saw at USCIS on Monday were also not from those countries,” he said.The American Immigration Lawyers Association has indicated that this is not an isolated incident, and experts warn that the lack of notice and explanation raises serious due process concerns. “To hear that they’re just ignoring those rules that the statutes and regulations are being ignored – it’s quite shocking and it’s something that we’ve never seen before in immigration law,” Vera said.Currently, there is no information on when or if the canceled interviews will be rescheduled. Immigration attorneys advise applicants to keep checking their accounts and mail, though many may not receive advance notice. Until USCIS provides clear answers, this uncertainty could delay citizenship for thousands and leave families without a clear path forward.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The White House’s immigration crackdown has led to the cancellation of naturalization interviews, leaving many applicants uncertain about their future citizenship status.
“We were there this Monday for an interview at 9:30 a.m. and we went to the window to register and we were told that all the naturalization appointments had been cancelled,” said Sacramento immigration attorney Hugo Vera. “‘De-scheduled.’ That’s the response they’re using.”
This scenario is affecting numerous individuals who arrive for their interviews, only to be turned away without any answers.
Vera has been handling such cases for 25 years, but this scenario is new territory.
“We’ve never seen this before. A naturalization exam being canceled outright and not being told when it might be rescheduled,” he said.
These cancellations coincide with shifting immigration policies, including the recent pause on applications from 19 countries deemed “high risk” by the Trump administration. However, Vera noted that his client and others present at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office were not from these countries.
“They’ve stated publicly that they’re only focusing on these 19 countries for whatever political reasons, security reasons, but my applicant was not from one of those countries. And the rest of the interviewees that I saw at USCIS on Monday were also not from those countries,” he said.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association has indicated that this is not an isolated incident, and experts warn that the lack of notice and explanation raises serious due process concerns.
“To hear that they’re just ignoring those rules that the statutes and regulations are being ignored – it’s quite shocking and it’s something that we’ve never seen before in immigration law,” Vera said.
Currently, there is no information on when or if the canceled interviews will be rescheduled. Immigration attorneys advise applicants to keep checking their accounts and mail, though many may not receive advance notice.
Until USCIS provides clear answers, this uncertainty could delay citizenship for thousands and leave families without a clear path forward.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel