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Just three hours away from fulfilling one of the most anticipated dreams for so many immigrants—to become a U.S. citizen—a Cuban woman received a call that changed her day. Her naturalization ceremony had been canceled immediately, without explanation and without a new date.
“It's terrible to live like this, in fear,” said Anyi Cabrales to the news outlet Telemundo, still shaken and uncertain. The notice arrived by email and then by phone, when an officer from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) informed her that the oath, scheduled for that same day, was no longer valid.
No reason or guidance, just the silence of a paralyzed system for those coming from the 19 countries included in the new "high risk" list, including Cuba and Venezuela.
The story of this Cuban woman reflects the most tense migratory moment that the United States is experiencing under the current government of Donald Trump. Although she had already passed her exam, submitted all her documents, and fulfilled every required step, her future was put on hold by the measures that the current administration implemented on December 2, when it ordered to suspend all migration processes, including residency, asylum, and naturalization for citizens of those 19 countries.
The dream halted at the door of the oath-taking room
Thousands of immigrants in similar situations have witnessed how interviews and ceremonies are canceled “overnight”, even just minutes before they begin, according to reports from ABC News and The New York Times.
The national pause is part of the PM-602-0192 memorandum from USCIS, which orders to stop all immigration adjudications for citizens of countries included in Presidential Proclamation 10949, known as the new travel ban. Among the measures, even approved Green Cards are being reviewed and pending decisions are being blocked until further notice.
Immigration lawyers consulted by U.S. media warn that this suspension could last "weeks or months," and recommend that those affected keep their documents up to date and await an official notification. However, many fear that the delay may lead to unexpected arrests or inspections.
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