MT. WASHINGTON, NH (NEWS CENTER) -- Twenty people from all corners of the world and walks of life took the final steps towards US citizenship by boarding the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and heading to the top of New England.
The first-of-its-kind event brought candidates for citizenship, their friends and families to the highest point in New Hampshire for a naturalization ceremony.
"It means a lot of things for me," stated Jose Maddra, who moved here from the Dominican Republic with his family. "It is a good place to be. I love this country. I love New Hampshire."
"There is peace. There is respect for everybody else. There is quiet. You can go outside and be secure," he added. "I feel secure in this country. I feel like I have the power to do whatever I want to do."
The twenty new citizens came from fourteen different countries and each had their own reason for coming to America.
"My kids will find a way to really appreciate the opportunity they will have. They don't imagine they didn't have it in our country, where we came from," said Maddra. "They don't know that now, but they will know soon. I think they are going to be the real Americans, so they are going to be the ones who take full advantage of the opportunities."
NEWS CENTER