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Naturalization ceremonies in Ulster County are set to resume after being suspended for several months. The next ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, March 13 at 11 a.m. at the Ulster County Courthouse in Kingston.
The resumption comes after a December 2025 ceremony was abruptly canceled by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The cancellation was part of a broader pattern that affected several counties across New York State, according to the Daily Freeman.
At the time of the cancellations, local officials including Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck criticized the move, saying the reasons given by federal authorities were "completely bogus." USCIS had cited insufficient numbers of candidates and claimed the courts didn't meet statutory requirements.
"To deprive people who have done this work, who have been looking forward to this day like nothing else of the chance to have the dignity of a ceremony in our courthouse is just wrong," Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said during a December rally protesting the cancellations.
The ceremonies represent the culmination of a lengthy naturalization process that can take years or even decades to complete. Applicants must be lawful permanent residents, pass civic exams, undergo background checks, and complete interviews before reaching the final oath-taking ceremony.
The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that similar ceremonies in Dutchess and Putnam counties were also canceled in December. Dutchess County Clerk Brad Kendall was told by USCIS that their ceremony was canceled due to "a lack of candidates."
Ulster County typically holds four naturalization ceremonies annually, with attendance ranging from 30 to 100 new citizens at each event. The ceremonies serve not only as celebrations for new citizens and their families but also as educational opportunities for local school groups.
Congressman Pat Ryan had demanded answers from USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow regarding the cancellations, writing in a letter that the decision was "a fundamental slap in the face to our community and the American dream as a whole."
With the March ceremony now confirmed, Ulster County officials are looking ahead to hosting what they hope will be cultural celebrations throughout 2026, which marks America's 250th anniversary.