CBS 5 - KPHO Teacher faces deportation

Teacher faces deportation

By midnight Friday night, a Phoenix high school cross country coach faced a deportation deadline. Miguel Aparicio loves the United States and wants to stay, but he may be forced to leave.

"Thanks to him, that's why I am so successful. I'm graduating in the top 10 percent because of him," says Daniel Patrick, a cross country runner.  

Many of the cross country coach's students gathered Friday outside the Department of Homeland Security office in Phoenix as the coach made one last plea to stay in the country.

"I was brought here when I was a teenager. I didn't know I broke the law then. They just brought me here, so I didn't even know I was doing something wrong," Aparicio said.

As a young teen, Aparicio came to the country with his grandmother. He graduated college and led a cross country team to multiple state titles. He claims he never qualified for citizenship.

"People think it is really easy to get citizenship for somebody like me from Mexico, but if you check the process it is really, really hard. It is like finding a needle in the sand. So it is really, really hard," said Aparicio.

In 2009 Miguel was stopped for a traffic violation. This drew the attention of federal agents. He was told he'd have to leave the country by today, but Miguel has not decided what he is going to do.

"I have got to talk to my friends, my grandma, my lawyer and decide what I have to do," said Aparicio.

Immigration officials released this statement today saying, "To comply with the terms of the Voluntary Departure order, Mr. Aparicio must voluntarily depart the United States by June 17th."

Aparicio's attorney says if he stays, an order of removal would most likely be issued next. Aparicio could still have other options even at that point.