Federal Immigration Agency Abruptly Cancels Naturalization Ceremony in Downtown Portland

The Portland field office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services abruptly canceled a naturalization ceremony slated to be held at the Oregon Historical Society next week, the organization’s executive director tells WW.

For the past two years, the Historical Society has hosted the naturalization ceremony, where new U.S. citizens take the Oath of Allegiance, on Feb. 14. (It’s Valentine’s Day, and also Oregon’s birthday.) The annual event, which is widely advertised, is held in addition to the naturalization ceremonies held at the federal courthouse several times a year.

But at about 9:30 am Friday, Feb. 7, the CIS’s Portland field office emailed the Historical Society, asking it to call off the ceremony, says OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. The email cited “unanticipated problems on our end” and offered no further explanation, Tymchuk says.

Tymchuk tells WW he’s “surprised and disappointed” by the sudden cancellation.

“It’s been such a highlight of the year for us,” he says. “We’d been working very closely with them. It’s such an inspiring story on Oregon’s birthday, to see new Oregonians taking the oath. They offered to reschedule later in the year and we hope that they will.”

The cancellation comes amid an apparent paradigm shift in federal immigration policy, as the Trump administration pledges to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and punish cities that provide them with sanctuary. But it’s not clear what role, if any, that sea change played in the decision by the Portland field office.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services did not respond to an email inquiry sent by WW on Friday.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) were scheduled to attend the Jan. 14 ceremony.

In a statement to WW, Wyden expressed bafflement by the sudden change of plans.

“This sudden change is disappointing given how vital a role the Oregon Historical Society plays in our community, including being a wonderful host for previous naturalization ceremonies in Portland,” Wyden said. “As the son of Jewish parents who left Nazi Germany and became proud U.S. citizens, I always treasure the opportunity to be part of this ceremony and will be asking USCIS why it’s being moved on short notice from the Historical Society—a particularly puzzling decision given that the ceremony coincides with Oregon’s Feb. 14, 1859, birthday.”