Each week on The Newsfeed, host Paris Jackson and a team of veteran journalists dive deep into one topic and provide impactful reporting, interviews and community insights from sources you can trust. Each day this week, this post will be updated with a new story from the team.
Immigration crackdown delays path to citizenship
Stricter immigration rules and ramped-up ICE efforts have led to delays in the legal immigration process — generating uncertainty and fear for people trying to become citizens.
In January, the Trump Administration expanded its travel ban to 75 countries, citing ongoing security concerns. That brought visa processing to a halt for those immigrants.
Washington immigration attorneys say this comes after the federal government stopped naturalization interviews for immigrants. These interviews are one of the last steps before gaining citizenship.
Seattle immigration lawyer Michele Carney says all of her clients' naturalization interviews have been canceled since December, holding up applications indefinitely
“They've been vetted. They are waiting for their interviews,” said Carney. “I think just the delay in not knowing if and when they'll become a citizen, I think it's really frustrating for them, because these are people who have been paying their taxes. They've been doing everything right.”
Carney has practiced immigration law for more than 30 years. She says some clients are afraid to attend court hearings — worried they could be detained or deported. And there's a new group seeking her help: people who naturalized years ago.
“In the past, even during the first administration, I didn't have meetings with potential clients who were U.S. citizens who are afraid of immigration issues,” Carney said. "They've been a citizen for the last 20 years, and they're just afraid they'll be profiled, and questioned or detained when they re-enter the country after a trip."
