Deport Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo – Son of Undocumented Immigrants!
// August 19th, 2008 // Gender, Immigration
“I’m here and this is my dream. So it’s cool.”
Cejudo, crying the moment the match ended and wrapping himself in an American flag, defeated Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan 2-2 on tiebreaker and 3-0 in the best-of-three match.
He is the son of undocumented Mexican immigrants who bypassed college to pursue his dreams of being an Olympian and won the gold medal in the freestyle wrestling event–the first U.S. champion of the sport’s lightest weight class since 1960.
“He’s testament to the fighting spirit of America,” his coach Mike Duroe said. “This means so much to him. Gold medals are the American dream.”
At just 5-feet-4 and 121 pounds, Henry Cejudo is the the youngest of six children. The Denver Post reported on July 31:
Being the youngest, Cejudo said, “I always had to fight for things – blanket, remote control, food.”
In Phoenix, Cejudo remembers living in rough apartment complexes where crime was ever present, murders not unusual.
“I never forget where I come from,” he said. “The struggles, everything, I just use it as motivation.”
That fire comes out when he’s on the mat, even in a practice match here, where you can feel his intensity.
“You’re going to lose if you think you are,” he said. “I was always like that, ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always had that mentality.”
Organizations like Americans for Legal Immigration (a euphemism for Americans Against Latino Immigration), a site that advocates strict immigration levels, would also love to do-away with “birthright-citizenship,” which would have ripped a talent like Henry Cejudo from the United States. William Gheen does not care; for him, the issue is black and white:
“America and Spain are the only two countries left in the world that have birthright citizenship. And that is something that our organization and many others would like to see changed because of its wild and flagrant abuse by illegal aliens.”
On the Alipac website, it states that Gheen believes illegal immigrants are giving birth in the US so they can stay here, bring other relatives into the country, and take advantage of our welfare laws. On this note, do see what Kyle at Citizen Orange has to say and check out the reaction of rabid nativists–they don’t consider him American and are wondering whether passing the ‘anchor baby’ law would strip Cejudo of his medal among other hate-speak.
Cejudo’s mother–Nelly Rico–worked two jobs to sustain seven children single-handedly. Even our gold medalist used to work two jobs as a teenager just to put food on the table. And Henry Cejudo is not the only child of “undocumented immigrants” representing the United States at the Olympics.
Brenda Villa, a world-class water polo player, has led the U.S. women’s water polo team to the finals of the Olympics, and has a story much like that of Henry Cejudo. The San Jose Mercury reports:
The Mexican town of Tecalitlán lies in the heart of mariachi country, but Brenda Villa’s mother didn’t have much time for music. As the oldest of nine children, Rosario left her native state of Jalisco for El Norte when she was 18.
Her journey three decades ago wasn’t particularly unusual for a Mexican immigrant. She worked as a seamstress in the Los Angeles area. She sent money home to help her mother, a widow. She lived in the burgeoning Mexican community east of L.A., married another immigrant and hoped for a better life for their children.
But much of what happened since hasn’t followed script. The Villas settled in Commerce, a gritty, working-class L.A. suburb that happened to have a community aquatics complex. The mother sent her children to the pool to learn to swim because she was afraid of the water.
Brenda, along with her older brother Edgar soon began playing water polo as a diversion from swimming. Then she and her Latino teammates began winning junior tournaments, often defeating all-boys’ teams from more affluent areas.
Finally, Brenda became America’s best young women’s player, earning a scholarship to Stanford. And she began her third Olympics on Monday by scoring a goal in the United States’ riveting 12-11 victory over China.
The triumphant stories do not end at undocumented immigrants bearing American-born athletes. Our runners for the 1500m also came from diverse backgrounds, and one of them is a former DREAMer.
— Lagat came to America to attend college at Washington State.
— Manzano was driven across the Mexican border by friends already living in the U.S. and posing as his parents when he was 4.
— Lomong was one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” the name given to young refugees of the grisly civil war in Sudan who made it to the U.S.
If rabid nativists like the ALIPAC, and Minutemen were to get their way due to their bigotry, misguided and false assumptions, imagine how many potential Olympians, not to mention world-class brain surgeons, DREAMers yearning to be college professors, scientists and engineers, we would lose. It is imperative to support the DREAM Act and ensure that homegrown American talent stays and contributes to America.
Cejudo’s message to DREAMers and all aspiring migrants:
“The message is, ’stay legal,’” Cruz said. “What I mean by that is, don’t go stupid and go crime. I think it shows that even a minority can come up the right way.”
25 Responses to “Deport Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo – Son of Undocumented Immigrants!”
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Cejuda should have been deported along with his criminal mother.
Yes, please show the entire world your ignorance and while you are at it, why not write to the U.S. Olympic Committee about stripping his gold and giving it to Mexico instead?
Ridiculous.
Yes, birthright citizenship is a bad idea. (Illegal immigrants DO have kids specifically as a shield and/or a future legal means to stay in the US.) No, the US and Spain are not the only countries to have birthright citizenship. (The vast majority of Western Hemisphere nations have this law, including Mexico and Canada.) No, the majority of anti-illegal immigration supporters are not racists. Yes, stricter enforcement of border and employment laws will impact Hispanics more than any other group because they are 80% of illegal immigrants. (Sorry, but just because 4 out of every 5 illegals is Hispanic doesn’t mean you can play the race card.)
Henry Cejudo you did a great job! Negative people have negative lives. Sorry for them, they have nothing better to do then to criticize. Keep your head up you will be remembered, while their boring lives have nothing better to talk about!
Way to go Henry Cejudo!!
Thanks for the positive comment Melinda.
And Rex — Maybe you should take it up with anti-migrant Gheen on his facts regarding “birthright citizenship.” And I don’t believe I mentioned “race” in this post but certainly nativism. Do you want Cejudo to be stripped of gold and the gold given to Mexico? How about the women’s water polo team which is vying for gold, the best player being the daughter of an undocumented migrant? Please take it up with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Birthright citizenship is derived from 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution. It’s shocking that those who purport to stand for the “rule of law” and “enforce the laws on the books” have no problem vying to change it when it comes to immigrants.
[...] himself in the US flag upon his victory; but even on this “feel good” story, there are rants of American nativists who want him deported). Nothing makes one more proud of that inclusive American spirit. (cue sarcastic [...]
i still have yet to hear a non-racist at its core reason why today’s immigrants are bad while the immigrants that came over in the past, and spawned those that want to deny others what their ancestors had, are good. of course in the past there was “racism” against the irish and the germans as well and history is repeating itself.
Henry you keep focusing on th e positive, apparently these people haven’t realized that their forefathers came from a lot further away!! We’re proud of you!!!
Way to work hard,CONGRATULATIONS!!
bravo-brava to the olympians and to all their supporters. this, in the steps of tommie smith and juan carlos, of the 1968 black power fist in mexico city who unleased the modern day uplift of energy with our sisters and brothers of la madre tierra who have shown excellence despite the oppressive world view maintained by the racists around the globe. praises for dennis brutus a hero that supported olympiads beginning in africa and who continues today. read dave zirins, ‘terror at the thunderdome’ to advance your understanding of the politics of sports. juntos venceremos, hasta la victoria siempre!
dorinda moreno
community4immigrantrights
grassroots4obama
fuerzamundial/wearetheones
Excellent work, Prerna,
Bringing attention to this. Nativists are showing their true colors by opposing Henry Cejudo.
I would like to say congradulations to Henry, and all you haters talking about deportation need to stop all that. You haters are just jealous that he’s living the American and you aint ha ha.GO USA OLYIMPIC CHAMPION<HENRY CEJUDO SHOW THEM HOW WE DO IT IN WEST PHOENIX
Henry for President
David,
Henry is an American.
He was born here and chose to compete for the U.S. and not Mexico.
On the other hand, you have the AMERICAN born Clippers basketball player, last name Klaman, I believe who was born here and chose to play for GERMANY! Funny how you conveniently don’t mention him in your bigoted rant
Luckily, you might exemplify the “ugly American” but that’s not representative of the true spirit of the U.S. people.
Way to go Henry Let those punks sit behind a computer an try to tell people how to live life when they have done nothing their whole life but cry… We are America and people like you are the reasons we are proud to be Americans…. They don’t like you winning. Tell them to show up at the trails ready to wrestle.
Henry is really American BORN?
Or he have a birth certificate that he got a the flee market?
how can we confirm that he is really AMERICAN?
For that matter Rey, how do we confirm that YOU are “American” whatever that means and didn’t buy your birth certificate at a ‘flee market’ if that is even possible?
http://prernalal.com/2008/03/31/what-does-it-mean-to-be-american/
There are plenty of spaces to express your bigotry, but this is not one of them.
Hello Rey,
I’ll ask you the same question that I asked David. He hasn’t responded so I guess he’s still thinking of an answer.
What are your thoughts on Chris Kaman, AMERICAN citizen and star player for the Clippers choosing NOT to represent his country and play for GERMANY instead?
I would think “patriotic American” that you are or think you are, your bile and vitriol would be reserved for someone like that.
Are you really stupid enough to think that the US Olympic committe and training camps wouldn’t do the necessary background checks to make certain that a U.S. member met the most basic qualifications which would be proper citizenship?
Henry Cejudo has the strength of character that will contribute to this country.
On the other hand, if pampered bigots like you and “David” grew up without a father, with a mom who had to work 2 jobs to put food on the table, without your own home and stressing out over food and decent clothes, we wouldn’t be seeing you at the Olympics.
My guess is the odds that we would see either of you at the Olympics…..not so good!
Nicely said Elva. I don’t think they have an un-bigoted, non-nativist answer.
Well, as a fellow wrestler on the same HS Team as Henry, (at the same weight unfortunately), I have a slightly different perspective. Although I dont believe he should be deported, his mother, who moved here illegally should. And while Henry is a great athelete, he did get a lot of assistance in getting through school. From everything I have seen and heard, he should not have been able to graduate HS, and to be honest, even qualify to wrestle on the HS team. Our coahes saw his potential and pulled a few strings to get him through. His amazing abilities as a wrestler should not get him a free card out of High School and it should not give his mother a free card into the U.S
Hey REY what have you done for America. Who looks up to you? I don’t see anybody that even cares about your life. I bet you don’t even know how to wrestle or played a sport in your life. He did this for America. Why dont to go and complain that all these “anchor babes” should not be signing up and die for oil. As far as Mr. Boone. Instead of crying, man up and worry about my you are not on varsity and not why other kids are. Unless you work for district I suggest you watch your tone.
You have no idea what you are talking about.
[...] covered the high point of the event for me (here and here), some of the things I could not tolerate and some that left me with ambigious feelings. [...]
Only God can judge you!
oh my god!!!
all u cold blooded son of a bitch…
He was born in america!!!!!!!!!!!n A US citizen
u r right his Mom is illegal,,,,,,But where did your great
great grand father or mother come from?
This land was the land of the native american,,, if u gonna say illegal, we are all illegal
shame on u
Thats ridiculos that they were even considering stripping henry of his medal. He won the gold because he is an amazing athlete and because of his dedication to wrestling, American or not American.