Press Releases

Pearl River, N.Y. - 11/18/2025… On Friday, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) sent a letter to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow regarding the cancellation of local naturalization ceremonies in Rockland and Westchester counties, as reported today by Times Union.

“I have attended many naturalization ceremonies during my time in public office. These ceremonies are emotional and one of the most patriotic expressions I’ve seen in our public systems. The individuals participating truly believe in the American Dream, and they have waited their whole lives to become a citizen of our great nation. We owe it to these new Americans not to pull the rug out from under them. My wife is an immigrant - one of the happiest days of our lives is when she attended a Naturalization Ceremony and became an American citizen. Stealing that same joy from other to-be-citizens is wrong, plain and simple,” wrote the lawmaker. 

Upon receipt of the letter, Congressman Lawler had a productive call with USCIS leadership and remains optimistic about a timely reversal that will restore Naturalization Ceremonies to Rockland and Westchester counties. 

The full letter can be found HERE.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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