Coronavirus Delays US Citizenship Process for Thousands

The coronavirus crisis could be preventing thousands of people from completing the final steps to receive U.S. citizenship¹, activist² groups say.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the agency that processes citizenship requests. It suspended its in-person services on March 18 to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. A message on the agency's website says the suspension will remain in place until at least June 4.

The process of becoming an American citizen is known as "naturalization." The final step in this process is to take an oath of loyalty³ to the country at an official ceremony.

Wendy De Los Santos is a 38-year-old medical assistant who lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. She came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. She has passed all naturalization requirements except for the final step of publicly declaring the oath. In the middle of March, officials said they would tell her in a few weeks when she could complete the final requirement.

She is still waiting for that information.

"It is causing some anxiety. It would be nice to finish the process, even if it has to be done virtually," De Los Santos told The Associated Press. She noted⁴ that her daughter was able to continue taking school classes through a video conferencing system. "We're here. What's the problem?"

While many parts of American life have been able to keep operating online, the citizenship process has come to a halt.

A few small naturalization ceremonies have taken place in some areas. But critics say the government has not been good at communicating to people when the final step will happen.

Citizenship groups have warned that the delays could limit the rights of thousands of voters in the country's elections later this year.

Time limits for election registration⁵ are nearing in a number of states. Individuals seeking to vote must be citizens when they register or risk facing criminal charges or possible deportation⁶, the groups say.

"This is yet another attempt to politicize access to voting," Kristen Clarke told the AP. She is president of the Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Clarke added that the final step for citizens should not be used as a way to keep people meeting all other requirements from voting.

The deputy director of policy for USCIS, Joseph Edlow, said the agency is holding more ceremonies as it becomes better at finding new ways to operate.

He said that federal law requires people to take their oath "publicly" and "in person." Edlow noted that some parts of the ceremony cannot be done virtually, such as collecting permanent resident cards and issuing proof of citizenship documents.

USCIS has not said exactly how many people have taken part in ceremonies since the coronavirus crisis began. But it said at least 85 have been planned through June 4 in 12 American cities.

The agency also has not said how many people are waiting to complete the final citizenship step. But activist groups have estimated it could easily be in the hundreds of thousands.

Earlier this month in Phoenix⁷, Arizona, about 30 people a day took part in small naturalization ceremonies outside the USCIS office. The citizenship seekers wore face coverings as they waved small American flags while waiting to declare the oath.

And in York, Pennsylvania, officials began completing oath ceremonies outside the local courthouse in the middle of May. About six people can take part in each ceremony.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

oath – n. a formal promise

anxiety – n. worry or concern

virtually – adv. using computer and internet technology to conduct activities normally carried out in person

deportation – n. the forced removal of a person from a country

access – n. a way of getting near, at or to something or someone

deputy – n. someone who has the second most important job in an organization

resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place

1 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

7 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。