BOCA GRANDE, Fla. — Just days after Luis Alvarez heroically dove into the ocean to help save a 9-year-old girl from a shark attack, he is now facing deportation.
Alvarez, one of three construction workers who rushed into the water to save Leah Lendel during the shark attack in Boca Grande, is currently being held at Collier County Jail. According to reports, Alvarez was pulled over in Immokalee for driving without headlights and was arrested after being unable to provide a valid driver’s license.
Body camera footage from the shark incident shows Alvarez alongside two other men assisting as EMS tended to the injured child. Raynel Lugo, a fellow rescuer, praised Alvarez, calling him selfless and brave. “He jumped in the water to take the shark out of her hand,” Lugo said.
Following the traffic stop, Alvarez reportedly showed a photo of his employment authorization card on his phone but was arrested for not possessing a valid driver’s license. He told officers in Spanish that he has lived in the U.S. for over two years but has never held a license.
Immigration attorney Ricardo Skerrett noted that Alvarez had legal work authorization and questioned why he was detained by ICE. “Unless he has a criminal background, I don’t know why he’s being held,” Skerrett said.
Alvarez’s supporters are now seeking legal advice to prevent his deportation, believing he deserves a second chance after his act of heroism. “He didn’t think twice to save that little girl,” Lugo said. “He’s a good man.”
Alvarez remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on July 9.
