Wrestling champ, kin face deportation

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Jorge Alvarado wanted to follow his brother Bryan’s footsteps and wrestle one day at the state level for Cleveland High School.

But his dreams have been cut short and his family split apart. Jorge; his brother; his mother, Santina Rivera; and cousin Cristian Rodas are being deported.

Jorge’s mother, brother and cousin are in an immigration detention center in Louisiana. Jorge, 14, was allowed to stay in Cleveland with his father, Jorge Sr., because of his young age, but must leave by Jan. 3.

“I feel mad, really mad,” said Jorge.

“I can’t see my mom, my brother, my cousin,” he said, holding back tears. “I used to see them all the time; my mom used to have food for me when I came home from school; now she doesn’t. I used to play with my brother a lot. Now I can’t.”

Jorge’s father came to the United States from Honduras in the late 1990s and qualified for what’s known as “temporary protected status” because of Hurricane Mitch, which hit Central America in October 1998. His family joined him a year later, but they got only six-month permits.

“I hired a lawyer and went to immigration court six months after they arrived, but the lawyer didn’t do anything,” Mr. Alvarado said during an interview in his Cleveland home, where the living room is full of wrestling medals and photographs of his sons.

“The judge gave them voluntary removal, but the lawyer didn’t explain to us what it meant if they didn’t leave in three months,” he added. “We decided to stay, to remain together, but we didn’t know this was going to happen.”

Almost 10 years after their first court appearance, Mr. Alvarado received a letter asking the whole family to go to Nashville with an immigration officer.

“We knew we had to go because you can’t be hiding from the law,” he said, staring down at the floor. “But we thought we would be able to fix it some way, pay a fine, ask for a pardon — something.”

But instead they were immediately detained on Oct. 23.

“It’s the worst thing that can happen to you,” said Mr. Alvarado. “My family is the most sacred thing for me, and I had to leave them there.”

Only the support of his church, family and friends gives him and his younger son the courage to go forward, he said.

He has collected dozens of letters addressed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, speaking of Bryan’s character and accomplishments, hoping that it can make a difference.

Heath Eslinger, head wrestling coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and one of Bryan’s coaches at Cleveland High School, said he is saddened by the whole situation.

“I feel so strongly about the kid that, if he wasn’t 18, I would adopt him. I really do think he’s that great of a kid,” he said.

Bryan started out as probably one of the worst wrestlers in the state and left high school as one of the best, Mr. Eslinger said.

“He’s my favorite athlete I’ve ever coached, without a doubt,” he said. “He is a kid who did everything right.”

Lucretia López, a family friend whose sons wrestled with Bryan, said it’s frustrating not being able to help such a good family.

“They have the utmost respect; they work very hard. Bryan got himself into Lee University and, even in his spare time, he would help his dad (at work),” she said.

Bryan was in his first year at Lee studying international business. Jorge, who wants to be a police officer, is in his freshman year of high school and on the wrestling team.

Asked if he plans to continue wrestling, he says he can’t.

“I’m going to have to leave soon,” he says.

BRYAN ALVARADO

* Cleveland High School senior, 2008-2009 season, wrestled at 103 pounds

* Made Best of Preps all-area wrestling second team; had a record of 35-11

* Region 3 runner-up and Tennessee Division I third-place medalist

* Region 3 runner-up in 2007-2008 — also at 103 pounds — with a record of 37-12.

Source: Times Free Press archives