The Denver Post, CO
August 30, 2007 Thursday
FINAL EDITION
Tsolak Yeghishyan survived a deadly earthquake in his home country of
Armenia, wrestled in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and became a father
four months ago. The only thing Yeghishyan says he hasn’t
accomplished is becoming an American citizen.
by Felisa Cardona, Denver Post Staff Writer
Tsolak Yeghishyan
survived a deadly earthquake
in his home country of Armenia,
wrestled in the 1996 Olympics
in Atlanta and became a father
four months ago. The only thing
Yeghishyan says he hasn’t accomplished is
becoming an American citizen.
Now, the backlog of security and background checks for people who
want to become naturalized could ruin Yeshisyan’s last chance to
qualify for the U.S. National Wrestling Team and compete in the 2008
Olympics in Beijing.
"I appreciate national security," Yeghishyan said in an interview
Tuesday. "I am glad that they are doing their job, but I feel like I
am a suspect."
Yeghishyan, 36, who lives in Colorado Springs, last week filed a
lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver asking a judge to expedite
his naturalization process.
Yeghishyan’s burly, tough exterior begins to soften when he describes
the most important reason he has to become a citizen – his wife,
Lilit, and their newborn daughter, Helena, are in Armenia.
Yeghishyan can’t bring them to the U.S. until he becomes a citizen
because the process for bringing spouses to this country is years
longer for people who are only legal residents with a green card.
"This is not about me and my wife anymore," he said, holding back
tears. "The baby has to hear my words every single day. I cannot be
away from them. Everything I do is about her now."
Yeghishyan came to America in 1996 and became a legal resident in
1999.
He calls himself the "best cabdriver in the solar system" and says
many of his fares have offered to write letters in support.
He applied for naturalization in April 2004.
The FBI must conduct a background and security check on Yeghishyan
before he can become a citizen, but it has not been completed.
He said there is nothing criminal or suspicious in his background
that should prevent him from being naturalized. "I have a
perfect-plus record," he said.
Yeghishyan passed all the civics testing required of him, and he
taught himself English by watching television and reading books.
The athlete is used to beating the odds. He lost a thumb while
rebuilding his family’s home after the earthquake and still managed
to wrestle.
Yeghishyan knows he’s getting too old to qualify for the Olympics,
but he’s convinced he can make the team. The team trials take place
in June.
Maria Elena Garcia-Upson, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and
Citizenship Services, said she could not comment on Yeghishyan’s
case.
Garcia-Upson said delays happen when an applicant has a questionable
background or someone with a similar name has a background that is
holding up the process.
Only 1 percent of cases have years-long delays. Most applications
take six to eight months, Garcia-Upson said.
"Ninety-nine percent of the cases go through without a problem," she
said. "We are in talks with the highest level at the FBI and Homeland
Security to see what we can do to process all of these applications."
Yeghishyan said he can’t try out for the U.S. wrestling team if he is
not an American – and he is running out of time.
"He would like to compete one more time, if that’s possible," said
his attorney, Beverly Oserow. "It might be his last chance, given his
age."
Yeghishyan placed ninth at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, when he was
on the Armenian wrestling team.
"He trained with us at the training center, and he was a good
training partner," said Steve Fraser, national Greco-Roman coach of
the U.S. wrestling team. "He’s a good-quality, tough guy."
Fraser said he doesn’t know whether Yeghishyan would qualify for the
team now, but when Yeghishyan competed in Atlanta, he was considered
one of the top 10 wrestlers in the world.
"In his prime, he was very, very good," Fraser said. "He did not win
a medal, but he was good."
Yeghishyan is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on Sept. 21
for a status hearing on his case.
"The only option we had was to file an action in federal court,"
Oserow said. "He did it with great reluctance. I think he just wants
to comply with the system and follow the rules and do it the right
way."
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-954-1219 or
[email protected]