Professional Boxer Fights for Green Card
USA Today reports the immigration backstory to professional boxer Ray Beltran’s spectacular knockout victory of Jonathan Maicelo last Saturday night. Before the fight, Beltran (33-7-1) had been told by immigration experts that climbing into mandatory challenger position for the International Boxing Federation lightweight title would likely prove decisive in his long fight to become a green card holder after entering the United States as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico as a teen.
Beltran’s situation was first featured on USA TODAY Sports last week, as part of the Sports on the Border series.
Beltran seeks to convince U.S. immigration authorities that he is an “extraordinary athlete” and eligible for an employment-based (EB-1) lawful permanent resident visa. The visa is typically available to certain sportspeople, entertainers, and masters of the arts and sciences. Recently, he has been in the U.S. under a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa for athletes.
KJ