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(Iowa City, IA) -- A University of Iowa professor is suing the federal government after his naturalization ceremony was canceled just weeks before he was scheduled to become a U.S. citizen, after more than 25 years in the United States.
Dr. Sunday Goshit immigrated from Nigeria in 2000. He and his wife applied for U.S. citizenship in 2025, passed their exams, and were scheduled to take the oath in January 2026. The ceremony was later canceled.
In late 2025, the Trump administration paused final citizenship processing, including oath ceremonies, for immigrants from certain countries under expanded travel restrictions. Nigeria was among those countries.
Goshit’s lawsuit challenges what his legal team calls an unlawful halt to his naturalization.