WASHINGTON 鈥� Nineteen-year-old Lizandro Claros-Saravia was days away from heading to Louisburg College in North Carolina, where he鈥檇 won a soccer scholarship.
But first, he had to check in with immigration officials.
He and his 22-year-old brother Diego came to this country in 2009, but they didn鈥檛 come legally. They had won a stay of removal in 2013, but since then, those applications for a stay of deportation had been denied.
Nicholas Katz, a CASA de Maryland attorney who had been working with the family, attended the check-in with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement last week. They were all stunned, Katz said, by what they heard.
鈥淭hey said they were going to detain them and process them for immediate deportation. And one of the reasons they actually gave was that Lizandro had gotten into college.鈥�
The two were deported Wednesday to their native El Salvador, Katz said. 鈥淚t was just heartbreaking to see them forcibly separated,鈥� he said.
Saravia’s coach called him one of the best players in America.
鈥淗e just has a rare natural sense for defending 鈥� something you rarely see in youth soccer,鈥� Brett Colton, who coached Claros-Saravia at the Bethesda Soccer Club from 2015 to 2017, . 鈥淗e鈥檚 a fantastic center back and one of the best in the country.鈥�
Other members of the Bethesda Soccer Club 鈥� a travel and youth development program 鈥� gathered outside of Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington D.C. to protest his deportation, according to Colton, who described teammates as being 鈥渃ompletely devastated鈥� by the news.
鈥淗e was a dream kid to coach,鈥� Colton said, adding that Claros-Saravia only missed two practices during the entire time he coached him, and that both took place during exam week. 鈥淗e was trying to do the right thing.鈥�
Colton said that he had received a soccer scholarship to attend Louisburg College in North Carolina this fall, a junior college, but that the offer was only considered a stepping stone to a high profile four-year college program.
In a statement, Matthew Bourke of ICE鈥檚 public affairs office explained the background of the case: 鈥淐laros-Saravia was granted a stay of removal, valid for one year, on May 13, 2013, but two subsequent applications were denied,鈥� he wrote.
鈥淪ince 2016, ICE deportation officers in Baltimore have instructed him to purchase a ticket for his departure.鈥�
Supporters of the two Gaithersburg residents say deportation makes no sense. They cite the fact that neither has a criminal record.
In a statement, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said he was 鈥渟hocked and dismayed鈥� that Claros-Saravia, a graduate of Quince Orchard High School, was deported.
And Rep. John Delaney, a Democrat representing Maryland鈥檚 6th District, said, 鈥淭his move doesn鈥檛 improve anyone鈥檚 life, it doesn鈥檛 make anyone safer and it doesn鈥檛 help anyone.鈥�
He called for 鈥渁 sane immigration policy based on our national interest.鈥�
Sen. Chris Van Hollen issued tweets that read in part, 鈥淲e should be focused on MS-13, not scholarship winners鈥� and 鈥淢aryland was stronger with Diego and Lizandro contributing to society, & my heart goes out to them & their family at this difficult time.鈥�
But Bourke said ICE 鈥渄oes not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.
鈥淎ll of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States,鈥� he continued.
Boyd Sturges, the general counsel at Louisburg College, said officials there learned about the pending deportation just days ago.
鈥淲e certainly would like the young man to come to school, but we don鈥檛 make the rules,鈥� he said. The college does not inquire about a prospective student鈥檚 immigration status, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not in the immigration business just like ICE is not in the education business,鈥� Sturges said.
ABC 小萝莉影视 contributed to this report.
