BALTIMORE — They're protecting America here and overseas.
Now, they're officially U.S. citizens.
Today eight active-duty members of the military or veterans became naturalized U.S. citizens.
They swore their oath of allegiance at Fort McHenry, the inspiration for our national anthem, a spot tightly woven into American history and into the history of U.S. immigration.
"Over 1/3 of the Baltimore's defenders during the battle were our were the nation's newest citizens. They emigrated from all over the world to find opportunities for themselves and their families. And like you often overcame considerable challenges and found their path decisions citizenship through the military service," said David Moore, Fort McHenry superintendent.
These new citizens come from all over the world, including American Samoa, El Salvador and the Congo.
Roughly 808,000 people were naturalized as U.S. citizens last year, one of the highest rates in the past decade.
