High School Coach Faces Deportation Deadline

PHOENIX - A valley high school coach facing deportation makes a last ditch effort to stay in the U.S.

Miguel Aparicio came to the United States when he was 15-years-old with his grandmother and later went to college and got a job coaching, but in all those years, he never became a citizen.

Since he is here illegally, he's being told he has to leave. His grandmother, however, is a U.S. citizen.

On Monday morning, there were a lot of people at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in downtown Phoenix to support Aparicio, a popular cross-country coach at Alhambra High School. He is also employed as as a construction worker.

The team has won state championships and some of the students showed their support as well on Monday to make pleas on his behalf.

In 2009, he had a minor run-in with the law during a traffic stop. A computer check showed Aparicio is here illegally.

Alongside his attorney, Aparicio talked to reporters.

"It's really hard because, you know..I know..there are consequences that are going to take over..sooner or later, so it's going to be hard, just thinking what's gonna happen today," he said.

Aparicio has tried to become a citizen, but it has not happened for him.

A friend of Miguel's, Francisco, told FOX 10's Diane Ryan, "It's real hard, especially for me and my family...he was like my little son when he came to the United States...he was crying with my family at home..he was thinking..saying I have to leave..maybe I'm not gonna see you guys anymore."

"I have pictures of him..there's one where I was like 2-years-old and he's right there in the background...he's been here all my life, he's like an uncle to me," said Francisco's son Alicio.

Aparicio is hoping for the best, but if he has to, he is prepared to leave. 

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• State Championship Coach May Be Deported