Share and Follow
NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. — Nestled far from the familiar corridors of a New York public high school, a compelling story unfolds.
Dr. Shawn Wightman, Superintendent of Roosevelt Schools, embarked on a heartfelt mission from Nassau County, New York, to San Marcos, Guatemala. His journey, funded out of his own pocket, aimed to deliver something meaningful to a particular student.
Reflecting on the situation of Alvaro Velasquez, Dr. Wightman shared, “As a superintendent and a father, it’s profoundly unsettling to think of such circumstances affecting any of my children.”
In an unexpected turn last May, Velasquez, just weeks shy of his high school graduation, was detained by ICE, preventing him from attending the ceremony.
“He wasn’t involved in any criminal activities and had no record whatsoever,” Wightman stated. “That was the point when everyone realized the harsh reality of the situation,” he added.
Velasquez was taken to a detention center in Texas, where he spent months alone, before self-deporting to Guatemala.
In September, Wightman visited the detention facility because he felt Velasquez deserved his cap, gown and diploma. But he was turned away.
“A very stark reality for me going in there, because there was a barrier,” Wightman said.
He knew he needed to try again.
After refusing to give up, Wightman took two plane rides and a five-and-a-half-hour car trip through the foothills of Guatemala, where he was finally reunited with Velasquez and his family.
“This is amazing for me. He helped me. And he supported me, for all this time,” Velasquez said.
“When he got detained, it really upset a lot of us,” Wightman said.
In Roosevelt, where the student population is 65% Latino and Hispanic, it was only the beginning.
Since Velasquez was detained, three other students in Roosevelt have had their lives upended by ICE.
One was detained, another is likely to be deported, and a third, whose father was detained, now has to work to support the family.
Velasquez came to the U.S. alone when he was only 16 and has been through so much.
“I’m not feeling I’m alone. I know I have him and my family,” Velasquez said.
He also has his diploma from a man who taught him not to abandon people you care about.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.