Assalaamu ‘alaykum John,
Just a few weeks before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, CLCMA client Ahmad S.
became a naturalized U.S. citizen. One week later, USCIS temporarily suspended naturalization oath ceremonies.
No one could have imagined that after so many years, his long-awaited moment would come at such an uncertain time, but his is a story that demonstrates that with faith, action, and persistence, justice is possible.
As is often the case for members of the Muslim community, his citizenship application was stuck in the USCIS system’s Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program (“CARRP”) because of “guilt by association.” Ahmad was being subjected to additional travel screening and an unexpected personal visit from immigration officials who made it clear that they had the power to impact his immigration applications.
Wisely, he recognized the need for attorney
intervention to counteract the government’s tactics. With the help of CLCMA’s immigration attorney Kathryn Brady (seen with Ahmad, below), USCIS finally agreed that he met all of the eligibility requirements to be granted citizenship.
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