WHITE PLAINS, NY (November 19, 2025) — Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, joined by County Clerk Tim Idoni and Clerk-Elect Tom Roach, called on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reverse its decision to cancel a November 12 naturalization ceremony in the county and to hold all future ceremonies traditionally held there.
Jenkins said the county is home to a diverse and growing immigrant community, and the ceremonies provide a local, accessible and dignified path for new Americans.
“Discontinuing them creates a real barrier for families already balancing work, child care, and other responsibilities,” Jenkins said. “And we’re urging USCIS to reconsider and work with us and work with our county clerk to restore these critical opportunities. This is more than a formality. It’s a celebration of who we are as a community as our residents rely on having these ceremonies close to home to bring everyone together.”
Jenkins said eliminating Westchester as a host site will place an undue burden on hundreds of families each year. He added that the county stands ready to work with USCIS, offering staffing, logistical assistance and facilities to ensure ceremonies can continue seamlessly.
Earlier in the week, Idoni formally wrote to USCIS to express deep concern about the abrupt cancellation and discontinuation of the ceremonies. The letter went to several people, including Jenkins, U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, U.S. Rep. George Latimer and both U.S. senators.
Jenkins said he heard directly from Lawler and Latimer that they are working to reverse the decision.
Idoni said the ceremonies have been held in Westchester County for centuries, with records in his office going back to about 1957.
“All those, by the way, they’ll still be naturalized, but it’ll be a much slower process,” Idoni said. “And they’ll have to go down to 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.”
Idoni said five other counties have been identified for discontinuation, all seeming to have Democrats as elected officials, suggesting something else is going on.
Roach, the mayor of White Plains, said the decision affects people who played by the rules and followed the process.
“These are people that played by the rules, followed all the rules,” Roach said. “Um basically had to live a perfect life while here. you can’t have any kind of um bad check mark on your on your record. Um went through the process and and and now are it’s going to be treated like the Department of Motor Vehicles getting your uh your license or something.”
Roach said holding ceremonies locally offers people an opportunity to be accompanied by family and avoid the stress of going into the city.
“I was born here. I didn’t do anything to become a US citizen,” Roach said. “I I just, you know, I was born here. The people that go through this process to to take up move out of where they’re from to make a better life, go through all of this deserve to be celebrated when they reach the goal line.”
State Sen. Shelley Mayer said the ceremonies are a joyous occasion where people feel proudly American.
“It’s a joyous occasion,” Mayer said. “They feel so proudly American. And I urge USCIS to to think about them. And you know what? for all the people in our communities, regardless of their politics, they take great pleasure in seeing this open display of patriotism and joy at being an American.”
David Imamura, majority leader of the county board of legislators, said people at the ceremonies bring their families and are in tears because they are so happy to join the American family.
“You know, we are a nation of immigrants,” Imamura said. “Let’s not make it more difficult for immigrants to become part of our nation.”
County Legislator Ameliano Ooli, a naturalized citizen who went through the ceremony in White Plains, said she came to the country at age 10 and her family was granted asylum.
“I can tell you how meaningful it was uh to be granted citizenship right in the community where I grew up,” Ooli said. “And I hope for other immigrants in Westchester to have that same opportunity that I did. And so I urge you USCIS to reverse their decision and to reopen um this this opportunity here in Westchester.”
Jenkins said Westchester stands ready to work with federal partners and that Lawler and Latimer have been communicating about the issue.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.