In 2011, at 78 years old, Alvarez — whose birth name was Asghar Ghahraman, but was changed working in Miami for fear of deportation— became an official American citizen. A customer who was a lawyer was determined to get Alvarez naturalized after learning of his story. Within six months, Alvarez said, the lawyer had set him up with official documents and the financial benefits he earned with his new legal status.
