Today is a special day for the new Greene County School District superintendent.

Brett Abbotts, the Canadian native, became a naturalized US citizen one year ago today. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio he had a student visa in 2005 for four years while attending college in the US. Then he had a working class visa for three years when he was first hired as a teacher in South Dakota. From there, Abbotts progressed to getting his permanent residency (green) card that was valid for ten years, from 2013-2023. 

Abbotts explains he looked into the process of becoming a naturalized US citizen in 2015, but between the application fee and if he wanted to hire an immigration lawyer to ensure the process would go smoothly, it was almost $8,000. Then in 2017, federal changes were made where the application fee was $690 and everything was automated and online. He talks about the agent he was working with after he had filed his application for citizenship.

“I just asked her, ‘You know, I’m kind of naturally anxious person. Will I have an issue here?’ She goes, ‘You’ve lived in the US since 2005, and you’ve been legally here, you’ve paid taxes, you’re current.’ She goes, ‘This is going to be a slam dunk. This is no problem for you.’ I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’”   

Abbotts says he had to take verbal and written tests, along with a civics test. Once he passed those, he was to attend a ceremony with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Abbotts points out that typically the event includes several publicly elected delegates, along with a state supreme court justice and other notable figures. However, because his ceremony took place towards the end of the pandemic, which didn’t allow for audience members and the USCIS representative explained their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

“He just said, ‘Congratulations you all are US citizens.’ And he said, ‘Well due to covid restrictions we’re going to have to ask that you move the process along pretty quickly and just please leave.’ So nothing quite says, ‘Congratulations’ kind of like, ‘Here’s your document, now get out.’ But nonetheless, (it was) really cool (and) more of a relief honestly, that it was finally over.”   

Abbotts became a US citizen on August 17, 2021 and he adds he was able to retain his Canadian citizenship because his parents and middle brother live in the Toronta, Ontario area.