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The Trump Administration’s Real Record on Naturalization

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Yesterday’s prominent display of a naturalization ceremony at the White House during the Republican National Convention featuring President Trump and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf suggests to the American public that naturalization is very important to this administration.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

First, the administration devalued the gravity of this important ceremony by using it for political purposes, potentially a Hatch Act violation due to Acting Secretary Wolf’s participation.  Second, the fact that Acting Secretary Wolf conducted the ceremony is, at best, a careless action since the U.S. General Accountability Office recently called into question the legality of Wolf’s appointment, throwing into doubt the legality of any action he takes, including this oath ceremony required by law for naturalization.  Third, this administration’s record on naturalization has been more than abysmal:

Ur Jaddou, Director of DHS Watch and former USCIS Chief Counsel, said: “Yesterday’s naturalization ceremony during the Republican National Convention belies the reality of the Trump administration’s abysmal record on naturalization and immigration over the last three and half years.  It also demonstrates their clear contempt for the rule of law, notwithstanding their words to the contrary, given clear questions of Hatch Act violations and the legal authority of the Acting Secretary.”