Summary
U.S. citizenship ceremonies have been canceled due to a government shutdown, leaving many waiting to become American citizens. The shutdown has blocked over 700,000 federal workers from work and has stopped important public services, including naturalization ceremonies.
Key Facts
- Citizenship ceremonies in the U.S. have been canceled because of the government shutdown.
- People who were supposed to become American citizens were not informed about the cancellations ahead of time.
- The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website was temporarily down, adding to the confusion.
- The USCIS is still open because it is funded by application fees, but public services like ceremonies can be delayed.
- It is unclear how many ceremonies have been canceled across the country.
- The government shutdown started on October 1 due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over funding.
- More than 700,000 federal workers are on unpaid leave because of the shutdown.
- Many people seeking citizenship worry about how the delays will impact their lives and plans.
