ITHACA, N.Y. — A week after canceling local U.S. citizen naturalization ceremonies in upstate New York and moving them to federal buildings outside Tompkins County indefinitely, the federal government has reportedly reversed course and reinstated the local ceremonies.
According to reporting Thursday in the Albany Times-Union and area NPR-affiliate WSKG, U.S. Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican who represents the 22nd Congressional District of New York, announced Thursday evening in a statement that officials from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had agreed to reinstate the ceremonies.
Tompkins County Executive Deputy Clerk Rachel Graham said her office had seen those reports, but had not heard directly from federal immigration officials as of Friday morning. USCIS officials did not state a reason for their decision to cancel the local ceremonies last week. The government shutdown, which had already ended by the time the announcement was made, was mentioned as a factor.
The decision to end local citizenship ceremonies drew confusion and condemnation from local officials, including New York State Assemblywoman Anna Kelles and State Senator Lea Webb, both of whose districts include Tompkins County. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, also objected to the new policy in a statement this week.
Citizenship ceremonies are one of the final steps for someone to become a naturalized citizen. Last week’s announcement stated they would not be held in most communities, so long-running local sites for citizenship ceremonies, like the Tompkins County Courthouse or Cornell University, would no longer be used. Instead, the ceremonies would only be held in federal administrative buildings, of which the closest one to Ithaca is in Syracuse.
Lawler’s statement only specifically mentions the counties in his district, but he added that the reversal applies to all counties in New York State. At least seven counties had received notices last week that their respective upcoming naturalization ceremonies would be canceled.
“After raising this issue directly with USCIS and speaking to [USCIS Director Joseph Edlow], I’m pleased to share that the agency will reverse its decision and allow naturalization ceremonies in Rockland and Westchester [Counties] to resume immediately,” Lawler said in a statement, according to the Times-Union. “Our communities are strengthened by the contributions of new citizens every single day.”
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