'It feels great:' Nearly 70 new citizens welcomed during ceremony at Milwaukee Art Museum

Max Aliaga

MILWAUKEE -- Thousands of people across the nation on Monday, Sept. 17 took one final step in calling America 'home.' At the Milwaukee Art Museum, people from all walks of life came together with one goal.

"It's a moment you are hoping for and finally it came, and it feels great," said Max Aliaga, an American citizen who is originally from Peru.

"This is the best part of our job. We get to go almost daily and witness people becoming Americans," said Mirash “Mick” Dedvukaj,  USCIS Great Lakes District director.

Nearly 70 citizenship candidates spent "Constitution and Citizenship Day" at the Milwaukee Art Museum -- where they officially became U.S. citizens.

Harsh Singh

While they came to America for various reasons, people representing different races and religions, speaking different languages came together for the ceremony.

"I want to excel at my work and I want to own a business later on," said Harsh Singh, an American citizen who is originally from India.

"The culture, the way you feel when you're here," said Aliaga.

"People from all over the world come to America to become American and to contribute their God-given skills, abilities -- to not only make their lives better, but to make this country better," said Dedvukaj.

It marked a new beginning, not only for themselves, but also for their children.

Harsh Singh and family

Mirash “Mick” Dedvukaj

"I want them to go to colleges, like maybe MIT.  I want to be successful. I want them to be successful," said Singh.

The Art Museum served as the perfect setting, as some would argue, the ceremony was art in itself.

"And it kind of is, a work of art in progress that has been going on for 200-plus years," said Dedvukaj.

"Just feels like home. That's it," said Aliaga.

During "Constitution Week," Americans are encouraged to reflect on their rights and responsibilities as American citizens.