Federal immigration officials under President Trump are canceling naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies for immigrants from 19 countries covered by a new travel ban, leaving thousands of would-be U.S. citizens facing an open-ended halt to their citizenship process after June 9, 2025. The cancellations follow Presidential Proclamation 10949, signed on June 4, 2025, which ordered a broad suspension of immigration benefits for nationals of countries the administration labels as high-risk for national security and public safety.
What the proclamation does and when it took effect
Presidential Proclamation 10949, which took effect on June 9, 2025, imposed full or partial bans on entry for nationals from 19 countries. Those countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, and other states that U.S. officials say do not meet the security and cooperation standards the administration now requires.
Under Presidential Proclamation 10949:
– USCIS was directed to halt pending benefit requests from people holding those nationalities.
– The agency was ordered to launch new reviews of past approvals for individuals who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021.
How the policy is being implemented in practice
Lawyers and applicants say the order has translated into:
1. Abrupt cancellations of scheduled naturalization interviews.
2. Last-minute notices calling off oath ceremonies, the final step in becoming a U.S. citizen.
Many affected immigrants have already completed years of residence and passed earlier screenings. Internal agency guidance described the suspension as “effectively halted citizenship progression.” Applicants from the 19 restricted countries now face stalled cases with no clear timetable for rescheduling.
The sudden change under Presidential Proclamation 10949 turns what should have been a milestone into another period of waiting.
Why the administration says it took this step
The proclamation justifies the move by pointing to:
– Inadequate vetting procedures in some foreign governments.
– High visa overstay rates among nationals of certain countries.
– Repeated refusals by some governments to accept deported citizens.
Officials argue these patterns create security vulnerabilities requiring tougher rules—even for those already in the U.S. seeking citizenship. The directive links these concerns directly to the halt in immigration benefits, including naturalization steps.
Scope — it reaches beyond travel bans
This policy goes beyond blocking new travelers at the border or overseas consulates. By directing USCIS to suspend pending requests and re-check approved benefits, it reaches into domestic immigration processes that usually continue even when travel bans are in place.
- Long-planned naturalization interviews (where officers test applicants’ English and civics knowledge) are being removed from calendars for people whose only link to the travel ban is their country of birth or citizenship.
- Oath ceremonies—the formal events where immigrants swear allegiance and receive naturalization certificates—are also being canceled.
Which immigration “benefits” are affected
The suspension covers a wide range of immigration “benefits”:
| Benefit type | Effect under the proclamation |
|---|---|
| Naturalization interviews | Canceled or postponed for nationals of the 19 countries |
| Oath ceremonies | Called off or rescheduled indefinitely |
| Work permits | Included among suspended benefits |
| Green card applications | Subject to pause and review |
| Other immigration filings | Potentially stalled pending review |
Lawyers emphasize the freeze on citizenship is especially striking because many affected people already cleared multiple background checks. Yet the order requires USCIS to treat nationality from the 19 countries as sufficient cause to pause decisions pending the broader review.
Operational impact and personal consequences
The June 9 effective date gave USCIS only a few days to adjust operations. People with appointments scheduled for mid-June report receiving cancellation notices that generally cite new security rules without offering replacement dates.
- Some applicants had taken time off work, arranged travel, or planned family gatherings around scheduled oath ceremonies—all disrupted.
- The cancellations have turned procedural final steps into indefinite delays for many.
Legal framing and administration rationale
The proclamation frames naturalization and other benefits as part of a broader enforcement strategy. It argues that when countries fail to:
– Share enough data,
– Control identity fraud, or
– Cooperate on removals,
the United States must respond by restricting visas and other immigration benefits. Citizenship grants are treated as another area warranting slowdown or stoppage for certain nationalities.
Reactions from advocates and legal representatives
Immigrant advocates and legal representatives counter that:
– Naturalization applicants have long-term ties to the U.S., including years of residence and repeated background checks.
– The cancellations do not assess individual risk but instead rely heavily on nationality lists.
However, Presidential Proclamation 10949 leaves USCIS with limited discretion because it directly orders suspension of pending benefit requests for nationals of the 19 countries and requires new “comprehensive reviews” of benefits previously granted to those who entered on or after January 20, 2021.
Scale, uncertainty, and what’s next
USCIS has not published detailed data on how many naturalization interviews or oath ceremonies have been canceled so far under the order. Still, the directive’s scope—covering every type of immigration benefit for millions of nationals from the 19 countries—suggests a wide impact.
Key uncertainties include:
– How long the suspension will last.
– What specific conditions countries must meet for restrictions to be lifted.
– Whether reviews of previously granted benefits will result in revocations, delays, or reinstatements.
The proclamation ties restrictions to ongoing reviews of foreign government practices, such as identity management and cooperation on removals. Until the administration decides certain countries meet its standards, nationals from those states will face continued cancellations and stalled filings.
Where affected people can look for information
Applicants and lawyers are watching for updated instructions from USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security. Official information on naturalization and citizenship processes generally appears on the agency’s website at https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship.
For analysis and reporting on how the June 4 directive is shaping case treatment, see https://visaverge.com, which notes the directive has become the key legal instrument guiding officers in handling cases involving nationals of the affected 19 countries.
Key takeaway
- The combination of Presidential Proclamation 10949 and USCIS internal orders has led to widespread cancellations and pauses in naturalization steps—affecting people who were days away from becoming U.S. citizens and introducing significant uncertainty into longstanding immigration processes.
Presidential Proclamation 10949, effective June 9, 2025, halted naturalization interviews, oath ceremonies, and other USCIS benefits for nationals of 19 countries. The order requires suspension of pending requests and new reviews of approvals for people who entered the U.S. on or after Jan. 20, 2021. Applicants who had cleared prior screenings now face indefinite delays and canceled appointments. The policy extends travel-ban authority into domestic immigration processes, prompting legal challenges and calls for clearer guidance from USCIS and DHS.
