A stretch of brick pavement, a few benches, and the quiet hum of a tiny community going about its week make the Iowa community Pedestrian Mall a spot where the scale of things feels manageable on a Friday morning. Generally speaking, it is not a location for federal press briefings regarding immigration law.
However, Dr. Sunday Goshit stood there to declare that he and his wife, Regina, were suing the US government for postponing their citizenship oath ceremony weeks before it was supposed to take place and weeks after it had been formally certified. Supporters, locals, and others who had witnessed Goshit spend more than thirty years creating a life in this city—a life that, on paper, ought to have been acknowledged as American last January but wasn’t—were among the attendees.
| Plaintiff | Dr. Sunday Goshit — adjunct professor at the University of Iowa, president of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, and founder of the African Festival of Arts and Culture |
|---|---|
| Co-Plaintiff | Regina Goshit — longtime disability services worker in the Iowa City area; married to Dr. Goshit for over two decades |
| Origin | Nigeria — the Goshits moved to Iowa City more than 25 years ago so Dr. Goshit could pursue graduate education at the University of Iowa |
| Degrees Earned | Ph.D. and two master’s degrees — all completed at the University of Iowa over the course of his time in Iowa City |
| Citizenship Application Filed | April 2025 — interviews completed October 2025, applications recommended for approval |
| Oath Ceremony Scheduled | January 16, 2026 — canceled in mid-December 2025 citing “unforeseen circumstances,” with no new date provided |
| Case Filed | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa — lawsuit accuses USCIS of canceling the naturalization ceremony without proper explanation and in violation of federal law |
| Legal Team Note | Represented in part by Laurel Jenks, a University of Iowa law student; government has two months to respond to the complaint |
| Community Recognition | 2024 Better Together 2030 Excellence in Action Catalyst Award — for founding the African Festival of Arts and Culture in Iowa City |
| Status | Federal government has not yet responded to the lawsuit; lawsuit seeks court order to grant citizenship or compel a ceremony date |
The case’s facts are straightforward, which may contribute to their stunning nature. More than 25 years ago, Sunday traveled to Iowa City to attend the University of Iowa, bringing with him the Goshits from Nigeria. What began as a graduate degree developed into a profession, a family, a community, and ultimately a deeper set of roots than most people can pinpoint. He has two master’s degrees and a doctorate.
Regina was employed in disability services for many years. All four of their children went on to obtain graduate degrees after being reared in the United States. The Goshits submitted their application for citizenship in April 2025. In October, they finished their interviews for naturalization. They were formally informed in November that their petitions had been accepted and that their oath ceremony, the last legal step that would conclude the years-long process, was set for January 16, 2026.
A message canceling the event arrived in the middle of December. The explanation given was “unforeseen circumstances.” There was no more explanation provided. There was no offer of a new date. The Goshits had been given the go-ahead, had their ceremony date confirmed, and then had it discreetly removed using language that gave them very little information about why or when, if at all, it may be rescheduled.
The action, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, alleges that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services violated federal law governing the naturalization process by canceling the ceremony without a valid reason. The couple’s lawyers contend that the Goshits, who are lawful permanent residents who had already finished the naturalization process before any new proclamation existed, should not be affected by the policy, even though the cancellation occurred just two days after a federal proclamation restricting entry from dozens of countries, including Nigeria.
The case immediately taps into the conflict in that period. There was no attempt by the Goshits to enter the nation. There was no pending review of their immigration status. They had undergone approval, interviews, and background checks. The oath ceremony is the ceremonial end of a process that has already been completed; it is not a significant obstacle in the process. Their lawyers contend that canceling it without a reason is more than simply an administrative annoyance.
It is the denial of a previously granted right. “I’ve fulfilled all the requirements. At the press conference, Goshit stated, “I checked every box, but the last gate was left without legal justification.” The emotional and legal center of the case is that framework, the gate that stays locked after all other doors have been opened.
Since this lawsuit is not the only one of its kind, it is important to consider it in a larger context. A wave of such cancellations impacting naturalization ceremonies planned for early 2026 has been reported by immigration lawyers nationwide, especially involving applicants from nations listed in the federal entrance limitations.
The Goshit case may be one of the clearer factual records on which to test the legal questions those cases are raising, such as whether approved naturalization applicants can be subject to new policy restrictions and what due process looks like at this final stage. The case is more difficult to dismiss on procedural grounds than some others because of the couple’s lengthy stay as lawful permanent residents, the thoroughness of their process, and the particular timing of the cancelation.
The human cost of the wait is more difficult to measure. According to Goshit, the circumstance has left him in a condition of “legal limbo” that interferes with his capacity to fully engage in civic life and maintain his peace of mind. The Goshits had every reason to anticipate that by mid-January, they would have access to a different set of rights than permanent residents, including the ability to vote and occupy certain governmental positions.
The difference between where he is and where the paperwork indicates he should be is not abstract for a man who has spent twenty-six years organizing, teaching, and fostering community in Iowa City; who won a civic award in 2024 for starting the African Festival of Arts and Culture; whose wife has dedicated her professional life to helping Iowans with disabilities; and whose children are American graduates.
The issue must be addressed by the government within two months. It hasn’t done so yet. Regardless of how quickly or slowly this case proceeds through the legal system, it raises a question that many other families are currently silently asking: what exactly does “unforeseen circumstances” mean, and who gets to decide when it applies, if the process is finished, the approval is in hand, and the date was set?
