One of our neighbors, Luis, an immigrant from Venezuela, shares his struggles in the U.S. naturalization process amidst a pandemic. With his mother in deportation proceedings, the sooner that he can become a citizen, the sooner he is able to petition for his mother to receive a green card and remain legally in Miami. Last December, he submitted a 20-page application, successfully moving past a criminal background check, and was given an appointment for his citizenship interview in early April.

By then, coronavirus raged through Miami, forcing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to close its doors and cancel in-person services, including naturalization oath ceremonies, until further notice.

“It’s very frustrating, and very worrying. This process costs a lot of money, and it’s something you look forward to for a long time. It makes you wish for there to be some other way for my interview to take place, maybe online,” said Luis, “But that’s the way it is. We are at the mercy of the [immigration agencies] and we can’t do anything about it. They do what they do and if you like it good, and if you don’t like it, then too bad.”