Raouf Vafaei, an Iranian-born mental health worker who emigrated from Austria, was on the verge of becoming a U.S. citizen after completing all necessary steps, including obtaining a green card and passing a civics test. However, he received notification that his naturalization ceremony had been canceled, leaving him and others in similar situations in a state of uncertainty regarding their immigration status.

The cancellations are part of broader changes implemented by the Trump administration, which has sought to limit legal immigration following a shooting incident involving an Afghan refugee. This has resulted in the suspension of naturalization processes for individuals from 19 countries, including Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Haiti, and Somalia, which were previously subjected to a travel ban.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not provided specific data on the number of individuals impacted by these changes, but it is anticipated that thousands from some of the world's most vulnerable nations will be affected. The administration has justified these actions by citing national security concerns related to terrorism and visa overstays.