He taught lawyers vets and more how to ballroom dance. Now his students are trying to save him from deportation
Galtsog Gantulga
Galtsog Gantulga  right  helps Brandon Coghill  left  with some dance steps at the Arthur Murray dance studio in Alexandria on Dec. 20. Gantulga  an undocumented immigrant from Mongolia  had his work permit revoked after being convicted of drunken driving. His students from the dance studio are trying to win him a reprieve. (Michael Robinson Chavez/Washington D.C.)
But the ballroom dancers say  Galtsog Gantulga  is a gifted instructor who senses when  his  students need to talk or want to dance but are too shy to take the initiative.  He  hurt no one in the two drunken driving incidents  they point out  and has served time behind bars.  He  also sold  his  car and joined Alcoholics Anonymous.
" He  built  his  life over here " said Mealy Chhim  a retired software engineer who was part of the effort. " He  just messed up."
Retired Air Force colonel Charlie Heimach takes a phone call from Galtsog Gantulga (pictured in background) during Gantulga’s detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August. (Jahi Chikwendiu/Washington D.C.)
Living alone for the first time   Gantulga  landed a job at the Arthur Murray Dance Center in Alexandria and worked his way up to a top instructor.
 Gantulga  dances at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Alexandria  Va. (Michael Robinson Chavez/Washington D.C.)
 Gantulga  lost  his  DACA protection while his second criminal charge was pending. Soon  the government told him they would try to deport him.
" Mr. Gantulga  entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa  but currently does not have lawful status in the United States " said ICE spokeswoman Carissa Cutrell. " Gantulga  has proven  himself  to be a public safety threat."
 Gantulga  says the drinking and driving "definitely wouldn't have happened if my parents were here."
But  he  also said  he  took responsibility: "It was something that I did."
With the federal government pushing to expel  Gantulga   the dance students and studio managers mobilized to keep  him  in the United States  getting a firsthand look at the nation's immigration system in the process.
They were stunned that  Gantulga  only appeared at  his  immigration court hearings via video link from the detention center where  he  was being held  150 miles away.
They were shocked that immigrants facing deportation proceedings didn't have a right to a court-appointed lawyer  that an immigration judge could refuse to set bond and that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could keep  Gantulga  locked up for months even after bond was set and Heimach rushed over with a check.
Heimach offered to let  Gantulga  stay at his house while he fought his case.
Instructors Anusha Rouse  second from left  and Brandon Coghill  right  and students at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio laugh as they speak by cellphone to Galtsog Gantulga  a former instructor at the school who was being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this summer and now faces deportation. The Arthur Murray students and teachers are trying to win his a reprieve. (Jahi Chikwendiu/Washington D.C.)
Over the objections of Nicholas J. Bolzman  the prosecutor from the Department of Homeland Security  Immigration Judge Helaine Perlman granted  Gantulga  release on $12 000 bond  saying his crimes weren't serious enough to be eligible for mandatory detention.
[TGT]  right  helps Brandon Coghill  left  with some dance steps at the Arthur Murray dance studio in Alexandria on Dec. 20. Gantulga  an undocumented immigrant from Mongolia  had his work permit revoked after being convicted of drunken driving. His students from the dance studio are trying to win him a reprieve. (Michael Robinson Chavez/Washington D.C.)
But the ballroom dancers say  [TGT]  is a gifted instructor who senses when  his  students need to talk or want to dance but are too shy to take the initiative.  He  hurt no one in the two drunken driving incidents  they point out  and has served time behind bars.  He  also sold  his  car and joined Alcoholics Anonymous.
" He  built  his  life over here " said Mealy Chhim  a retired software engineer who was part of the effort. " He  just messed up."
Retired Air Force colonel Charlie Heimach takes a phone call from [TGT] (pictured in background) during Gantulga’s detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August. (Jahi Chikwendiu/Washington D.C.)
Living alone for the first time   Gantulga  landed a job at the Arthur Murray Dance Center in Alexandria and worked his way up to a top instructor.
 Gantulga  dances at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Alexandria  Va. (Michael Robinson Chavez/Washington D.C.)
 Gantulga  lost  his  DACA protection while his second criminal charge was pending. Soon  the government told him they would try to deport him.
" Mr. Gantulga  entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa  but currently does not have lawful status in the United States " said ICE spokeswoman Carissa Cutrell. " Gantulga  has proven  himself  to be a public safety threat."
 Gantulga  says the drinking and driving "definitely wouldn't have happened if my parents were here."
But  he  also said  he  took responsibility: "It was something that I did."
With the federal government pushing to expel  Gantulga   the dance students and studio managers mobilized to keep  him  in the United States  getting a firsthand look at the nation's immigration system in the process.
They were stunned that  Gantulga  only appeared at  his  immigration court hearings via video link from the detention center where  he  was being held  150 miles away.
They were shocked that immigrants facing deportation proceedings didn't have a right to a court-appointed lawyer  that an immigration judge could refuse to set bond and that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could keep  Gantulga  locked up for months even after bond was set and Heimach rushed over with a check.
Heimach offered to let  Gantulga  stay at his house while he fought his case.
Instructors Anusha Rouse  second from left  and Brandon Coghill  right  and students at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio laugh as they speak by cellphone to [TGT]  a former instructor at the school who was being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this summer and now faces deportation. The Arthur Murray students and teachers are trying to win his a reprieve. (Jahi Chikwendiu/Washington D.C.)
Over the objections of Nicholas J. Bolzman  the prosecutor from the Department of Homeland Security  Immigration Judge Helaine Perlman granted  Gantulga  release on $12 000 bond  saying his crimes weren't serious enough to be eligible for mandatory detention.