Every year on the Fourth of July, scores of immigrants raise their right hands and swear their allegiance to the United States during special large-scale naturalization ceremonies held in Phoenix and cities across the country to coincide with Independence Day.
But as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, there will be no Fourth of July naturalization ceremony in metro Phoenix.
The federal government’s break from tradition appears deliberately tied to President Donald Trump’s restrictive immigration policies, critics say.
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Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has suspended the processing of immigration benefits for immigrants from 39 African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries until forced to resume processing by a federal judge; made the naturalization test longer and harder to pass; raised the bar for citizenship applicants to prove they have “good moral character;” detained immigrants showing up for immigration benefits appointments; and proposed jacking up citizenship application fees by up to 80% while limiting the number of fee waivers.
As a result, fewer immigrants are applying to become naturalized citizens out of fear, which has led to a decrease in the size and frequency of naturalization ceremonies being held by the federal government, according to groups that assist immigrants with the naturalization process.
The federal government’s decision not to hold a Fourth of July naturalization ceremony in Phoenix coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary is “sad, but it’s also consistent with actions and attitudes and values of this administration,” said Monica Sandschafer, Arizona state director for Mi Familia Vota, a nonprofit group that hosts citizenship classes.
“What we see with this administration is some of the most anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions that we’ve ever seen in recent history,” Sandschafer said. Trump “is not going to celebrate immigrants becoming citizens as a part of celebrating the history of our country, even though the history of our country is one of immigration.”
The lack of a Fourth of July naturalization ceremony is a departure from the first year of Trump’s second term. On July 4, 2025, 100 immigrants from 30 countries became citizens during a large ceremony held at South Mountain Community College and promoted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that processes citizenship applications and other immigration benefits.
Another 100 immigrants from over 41 countries became U.S. citizens during a separate July 4, 2025, naturalization ceremony held at the Mesa Convention Center, also promoted by USCIS, Fox 10 reported.
But there won’t be a naturalization ceremony at either location on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the nation.
USCIS historically has sent out a news release promoting the Fourth of July naturalization ceremonies. But no news release was sent this year. When The Arizona Republic emailed the agency on June 29, an unnamed spokesperson would not confirm that no Fourth of July naturalization ceremonies would be held in the Phoenix area this year, nor provide an explanation.
Instead, the spokesperson said to reach out to the federal courts, which usually hold naturalization ceremonies on Fridays at the U.S. Sandra Day O’Connor District Courthouse in downtown Phoenix.
The federal court’s naturalization schedule shows no ceremony listed on Friday, July 3, at the courthouse in Phoenix. There are no naturalization ceremonies planned for July 3 or 4 at the federal courthouses in Tucson or Yuma, according to the schedule posted on the U.S. District Court ofArizona website.
Mags Everette, chief deputy clerk for the U.S. District Courts in Arizona, confirmed in a June 29 email that the federal courthouses in Arizona will “not be holding or presiding over any ceremonies on the Fourth of July.”
The only Independence Day naturalization ceremony that will take place in Arizona on July 4 this year will be at the Saguaro National Park in Tucson, according to a National Park Service news release.
It seems “pretty clear” that the Trump administration is deliberately omitting naturalization ceremonies from celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary, said Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy at the Center for Migration Studies, a Catholic-affiliated think tank that promotes the rights of immigrants.
Otherwise, it would undermine the Trump administration’s message that “’immigrants are bad for us, they’re all dangerous, and the cause of our social problems,’ which is not true,” Appleby said.
Appleby noted that under the Trump administration, USCIS is attempting to “slow walk” the process to obtain permanent residency and citizenship by putting up barriers such as making the naturalization test longer and harder and making citizenship applications less affordable.
“They don’t want to create a narrative that is counter to their overall strategy of reducing the number of immigrants in the country,” Appleby said. “If they had naturalization ceremonies around the country, that would be celebrating the contributions of immigrants to the nation and welcoming immigrants into the fabric of society when they’re dedicated to ridding immigrants from the country.”
Reporting by David Ulloa Jr and Daniel Gonzalez, Arizona Republic
