Reports say delays could leave people waiting for their oath without a vote on November 3. The figures are not confirmed by USCIS; only citizens vote.
Press reports this Monday contend that naturalization delays could leave immigrants waiting for citizenship without a vote in the November 3 elections. As of publication of this note, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had not announced on its alerts page a general pause of interviews or oath ceremonies.
What is being said and what is confirmed
Reports cite a journalistic investigation according to which in the first eight months of 2026 about 173,000 citizenship applications were approved, 72% fewer than a year earlier, and pending cases rose from about 500,000 to more than 800,000. Those figures have not been confirmed by official sources for this story. USCIS publishes data files on Form N-400 for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, but its data page does not reproduce those totals.
It is also reported that in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the two most recent ceremonies were canceled and the next one was set for November 12, after the election. That detail has also not been confirmed by an official source.
USCIS’s alerts page, as consulted this Monday, shows no notice about a general suspension of naturalization or about the elections.
The pauses that are officially documented
USCIS does have documented targeted holds. Policy memoranda PM-602-0192, dated December 2, 2025, and PM-602-0194, dated January 1, 2026, halted applications from people from 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority. On August 24, 2026, a federal district court in the Northern District of California suspended both memoranda and ordered USCIS to adjudicate the applications “in the normal course.” USCIS published the notice on August 28, 2026, on its official page.
The agency said it disagrees with the order but will comply while judicial review may take place, and that it will issue updated instructions. The notice does not specifically mention Form N-400 or oath ceremonies, so it does not confirm how it applies to naturalization.
Who can vote
Only citizens can vote in federal elections. Having permanent residence or a pending citizenship application is not enough. USCIS reminds people of this in a statement of October 22, 2026 involving a 67-year-old permanent resident charged with voting in the 2024 federal election: lawful permanent residents cannot vote in federal elections, and the maximum penalty is one year in prison and a fine of $100,000. It is an accusation; a federal jury must decide.
The naturalization interview includes questions about the application and background and, unless exempt, English and civics tests. According to USCIS, the 2025 civics test applies to applications filed since October 20, 2025.
What does it mean to you?
- If you are not yet a citizen, you cannot vote on November 3, even if your case is far along.
- If you have a green card, do not vote in federal elections: it can result in criminal charges.
- If your ceremony was canceled or rescheduled, check your account at uscis.gov and the notice you received; official dates come from USCIS, not social media.
- If your case has been pending for a long time, consult an attorney or an accredited organization about your particular situation.
Legal notice: This information is general and does not replace the advice of a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice.
Editor's note: Some information in this article could not be confirmed with official sources at the time of publication; it comes from reports by other media outlets or from the individuals quoted. We will update the article if the information changes.
