Married An Illegal Alien

I am an american born citizen and I married my illegal alien husband here in the USA, then started his immigration process. If we had gotten married in Mexico, we could've just stopped by the consulates office and picked up his visa and came right home. If had known that, I would've gone that route. Instead we filed the paperwork here in the US and now his visa appointment is in November, at the consulate in Mexico. We will not recieve the visa then though because, since he entered illegally, we have to file a 'waiver' which takes 6-9 months, THEN we will get the visa. So my husband cannot re-enter until he has the visa. I will either have to stay in Mexico with him for 9 months, or let him go and I stay here without him for 9 months. Also, we have a 16 month old baby and I am pregnant so I don't want to go to a different country. You know I have to have prenatal care and hospitalization when the baby comes. And I don't like the idea of us living there, because I am an american so of course I'm used to having drinkable water, paved roads, 24-hour bilo and walmart, laws that protect me, carpet on the floors, advanced medical attention, and a good job, I guess I am afraid of culture shock. I wish that there was a way for him to come home with me after the appointment. I cannot support myself alone. Because there is the baby and the baby on the way, I need my husband with me to survive. I feel like this is so unfair to me and my american baby. I was born here and I don't want my husband to be kept away, and I don't want to have to live in Mexico. Advice would be appreciated, if anyone knows what I'm going through.:wallbang:

I doubt that you're going to expedite this process. It's one of the prices of breaking this nation's immigration laws, that it becomes a lot harder to get back into the U.S.

MR. KNOWITALL,
What about proving an exceptional hardship? I am an american born person who will be forced to leave with my husband to mexico, that is if I want me and my babies to survive. I can't believe that my government can look at one of its citizens, impregnated, carrying a toddler, and say, "sorry, ma'am, your husband can't stay here, you're on your own!" If I stay here I can't support myself because after daycare expenses my bring home pay will be about $50.00 per week. And when the new baby comes I won't be able to return to work for at least 6 weeks. That must qualify as hardship. What does the 10 year exclusion mean, will he also have to be gone for 10 years? I feel as though my right enjoy my american life is being taken from me. My government has the right to take away my love of my life, my financial stability, the father of my children, and leave me to either starve or, or move to mexico. So do you know much about the hardship waiver, or the exclusion period? Is there going to a period of exclusion for us?
oh, and let me answer before its even asked - yes, i did know that he was illegal before I married him. But I selfishly thought that as an american that I had rights. The right to enjoy my freedoms, including the freedom to marry and have a bunch of babies. and I didn't know that my government has the right to take my life apart. It won't be my husband leaving me, it will be my government stripping me of all I THOUGHT was mine.

You should have just let him be illegal. I basically did the same thing except my wife is British and we have spent around 1500 dollars and still no visa or green card. Also one side note, I served my country for 20.5 years and cant believe we have such absurd laws written by such idiots.
We dont take care of people here unless they have money and lots of it. And this is why Americans are hated everywhere.
enough of my story.

Have you called the USCIS and asked what the process is and to let him back in.
I believe right now is not a good time with the elections coming around and all the political chess game going on.

Keep trying

Thanks Ravengotu,
I feel better knowing that someone else knows what I'm dealing with. I have seriously been considering all the options, including just forgetting the whole paper process. Obtaining papers is not the reason he married me anyway. And you're right, the elections are coming up, new laws floating through congress, and an outbreak of riots and deaths in my hubby's home state in Mexico, are all factors that keep me thinking selfishly about my family staying here. I'm going to consult with an attorney this week to figure out all possible avenues. I have the feeling that they're not going to have any good news for me. My baby is due in May or June, and I really want to have him/her here in the USA.

You are not sure when you are due? Humm that's about 9 months from now, did you get pregnant thinking it would give your case more weight? DO you think the people at the USCIS can't do math?

Chellybean...Is your husband still in the US? If so, why are you looking to apply for a visa in Mexico??.If a US citizen marries a foreign national the process is for you to petition him for citizen ship (USCIS form I130) as well as adjust his status from illegal to permanant resident (Green Card) USCIS For I485) . This will start the process to get him a green card, then citizenship after several years. The Green card process does take quite a long time,1-3 years, and may cost quite a bit depending on the details of the case...but he should be able to stay in the US through the process. You said you are starting the immigration process? Have you talked to an attorney?

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Quoting rmet4nzkx

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You are not sure when you are due? Humm that's about 9 months from now, did you get pregnant thinking it would give your case more weight? DO you think the people at the USCIS can't do math?

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No dear, I don't know my due date because I haven't gone to my first prenatal appointment. No, I didn't get pregnant to give my case weight, I got pregnant (both times) because I want to have babies. Of course they can do math, but they don't even consider a baby until after it has been born. You've gotten something up your @ss man!

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Quoting mmadsen55

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Chellybean...Is your husband still in the US? If so, why are you looking to apply for a visa in Mexico??.If a US citizen marries a foreign national the process is for you to petition him for citizen ship (USCIS form I130) as well as adjust his status from illegal to permanant resident (Green Card) USCIS For I485) . This will start the process to get him a green card, then citizenship after several years. The Green card process does take quite a long time,1-3 years, and may cost quite a bit depending on the details of the case...but he should be able to stay in the US through the process. You said you are starting the immigration process? Have you talked to an attorney?

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Yes, my husband is here in the US. We married in Aug '04, we started the process in March '05, with an immigration attorney who instructed us to file the I130(petition for alien relative) to get us started. We also sent an I864(affidavit of support) one filled out by me, and an additional one filled out by my father since I didn't meet the income qualifications. We recieved a letter in Oct '05 from USCIS that said "the USCIS has completed processing of your immigrant visa application and has forwarded your file to the Consulate." So now the consulate has notified us of our visa appointment scheduled in Nov 2006. We never filed USCIS form I485. What other forms am I missing?

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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No dear, I don't know my due date because I haven't gone to my first prenatal appointment. No, I didn't get pregnant to give my case weight, I got pregnant (both times) because I want to have babies. Of course they can do math, but they don't even consider a baby until after it has been born. You've gotten something up your @ss man!

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I am a woman, Thank You very Much!

You come here crying that you are pregnant and that will be a hardship if you have to live in Mexico and that you rely on your husband's support. Now you are saying that you did this intentionally, both times, that is not hardship, you can't have it both ways. To calculate your due date use any of the many calculators available online. Don't expect any sympathy from the USCIS, in the mean time, get a job so you can support yourself if you want this child to be born a USC, there is no reason for you to become a burden on society just because of your choices.

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Quoting rmet4nzkx

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I am a woman, Thank You very Much!

You come here crying that you are pregnant and that will be a hardship if you have to live in Mexico and that you rely on your husband's support. Now you are saying that you did this intentionally, both times, that is not hardship, you can't have it both ways. To calculate your due date use any of the many calculators available online. Don't expect any sympathy from the USCIS, in the mean time, get a job so you can support yourself if you want this child to be born a USC, there is no reason for you to become a burden on society just because of your choices.

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Ok lady, I do have a job, but after paying daycare for the 16 month old, its not enough to support us without my husband's income. It IS a hardship for the child if the father isn't here. Yes, both pregancies were planned, and it is STILL a hardship if the father is taken out of the picture. It's not only a financial hardship; the baby adores her father. This is not cattle you're talking about, we are a real family, bonded with love. I'm not a burden on society- you are a burden on my thread. I'm not crying, I came to this forum for some HELPFUL ADVICE on what my next steps will be, not for attacks and criticisms from some hateful, miserable little miss can't-be-wrong. Go bother somebody else's thread. Horrible _itch!

Chellybean...Is your husband still in the US? If so, why are you looking to apply for a visa in Mexico??.If a US citizen marries a foreign national the process is for you to petition him for citizen ship (USCIS form I130) as well as adjust his status from illegal to permanant resident (Green Card) USCIS For I485) . This will start the process to get him a green card, then citizenship after several years. The Green card process does take quite a long time,1-3 years, and may cost quite a bit depending on the details of the case...but he should be able to stay in the US through the process. You said you are starting the immigration process? Have you talked to an attorney?


Yes, my husband is here in the US. We married in Aug '04, we started the process in March '05, with an immigration attorney who instructed us to file the I130(petition for alien relative) to get us started. We also sent an I864(affidavit of support) one filled out by me, and an additional one filled out by my father since I didn't meet the income qualifications. We recieved a letter in Oct '05 from USCIS that said "the USCIS has completed processing of your immigrant visa application and has forwarded your file to the Consulate." So now the consulate has notified us of our visa appointment scheduled in Nov 2006. We never filed USCIS form I485. What other forms am I missing?

What did your immigration attorney tell you?
So your husband is going to appear at his hearing at the consulate with proof that you have a valid marriage, etc. that he has been residing and working in Mexico and he will get his visa.
So your father said he would support you and your husband. Good:) There is no hardship.

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Quoting rmet4nzkx

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What did your immigration attorney tell you?
So your husband is going to appear at his hearing at the consulate with proof that you have a valid marriage, etc. that he has been residing and working in Mexico and he will get his visa.
So your father said he would support you and your husband. Good:) There is no hardship.

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The immigration attorney, I haven't spoken with since he helped us initiate the paperwork. I will meet again this week with attorney and update you on that afterwards. Let me correct you, we have a misunderstanding... He will go to the consulate with proof of a valid marriage, etc, and that he has been residing and working HERE IN THE USA. He will have to wait six to nine months for processing for the "waiver" that he will then file (waiver because he entered illegally). Then he will either recieve the visa or he will suffer a ten year exclusion, and I, as of this minute, don't know which scenario it will be. The hardship comes when I stay here with the baby and he is gone for 1-10 years in Mexico. Also, I have done some more research and I'm thinking that one can only file the "exceptional hardship" paper to stop DEPORTATION. He isn't getting deported, he's leaving voluntarily to attend the appointment with the consulate in Mexico. Sure Dad could lend me some money, he does it every month. But its still a hardship to have my hubbie kept away from the baby and I. It's not abnormal for a woman and little baby to be reliant on the husband. If you have some HELPFUL advice, great, but if you are just trying to find someone to fight with, please find a different thread to torture. In case you don't realize, people have deep emotions attached to their legal cases, especially regarding a separation that is unwanted by both spouses. Have some heart, you're like a little pit of vipers! I can tell you would be a great prosecutor.

I froze the thread to stop you from bickering with each other. You started a new thread to continue the discussion - so I merged the threads and let you. Now you're back to bickering.

If you don't want to hear from rmet4nzkx, ignore her. (You can even use features in your user control panel so that you don't even have to see her posts.)

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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Chellybean...Is your husband still in the US? If so, why are you looking to apply for a visa in Mexico??.If a US citizen marries a foreign national the process is for you to petition him for citizen ship (USCIS form I130) as well as adjust his status from illegal to permanant resident (Green Card) USCIS For I485) . This will start the process to get him a green card, then citizenship after several years. The Green card process does take quite a long time,1-3 years, and may cost quite a bit depending on the details of the case...but he should be able to stay in the US through the process. You said you are starting the immigration process? Have you talked to an attorney?


Yes, my husband is here in the US. We married in Aug '04, we started the process in March '05, with an immigration attorney who instructed us to file the I130(petition for alien relative) to get us started. We also sent an I864(affidavit of support) one filled out by me, and an additional one filled out by my father since I didn't meet the income qualifications. We recieved a letter in Oct '05 from USCIS that said "the USCIS has completed processing of your immigrant visa application and has forwarded your file to the Consulate." So now the consulate has notified us of our visa appointment scheduled in Nov 2006. We never filed USCIS form I485. What other forms am I missing?

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Chellybean, you have an appointment tomorrow with the same immigration attorney who helped you in '05?

All who are trying to help..please speak up about the husband leaving the US to go to Mexico..I think this is a really bad idea. If he leaves, even voluntarily, then he would face the exclusion and then have to procede with the waiver process, which is not guaranteed. Should she not be filing the I485 change of status?

Chellybean, definately ask the lawyer why he has to go to Mexico and why you are not following the I485 Process to stay here? I am not a lawyer so there may be a valid reason, but I have gone through the process with my wife and from what I know, he should definately not leave the country.

The other form you would need is the I 765 employment authorization request..this will get him a card so he can work here legally and get a legal social security number. All of these should have been filed simultaneously with the I130.

As I said, there may be some legitamte legal reason the lawyer did not advise this process, but please make sure you know why and let us know what might be the reason.

Deadlock,
No. I don't have an appointment with anyone. I want to find a better attorney. I don't think that guy gave us very much direction. I want to find someone else. I'll have to see someone next monday, because I'm stuck at work until then. This website has been more informative for me than any attorney. Last night I got together my I485 packet so I can get that ready. I would like to find an attorney who can tell me not only what & when to file, but also what is going to happen to us at each turn.

mmadsen55, the original post made it appear that the husband is in Mexico, whereas later posts indicate that he is in the U.S. You are correct that if he leaves he will almost certainly trigger a very long period of exclusion, so they should talk to the immigration lawyer first. chellybean - you may wish to try AILA's directory.

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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Deadlock,
No. I don't have an appointment with anyone. I want to find a better attorney. I don't think that guy gave us very much direction. I want to find someone else. I'll have to see someone next monday, because I'm stuck at work until then. This website has been more informative for me than any attorney. Last night I got together my I485 packet so I can get that ready. I would like to find an attorney who can tell me not only what & when to file, but also what is going to happen to us at each turn.

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No attorney is going to be able to do this, they may be able to inform you of the possibilities but they can't tell you absolutely exactly what will happen or tell you how to exploit the system. When you only seek a consultation instead of retaining an attorney only so much can be expected when you lack the knowledge that an attorney has and you attempt to represent yourself. The USCIS is not in the sympathy business and you can get all the sympathy you can solicit here and that won't change. It is not a hardship when you intentionally create it.

You set this in place when you knowingly married an illegal alien and intentionally had children with him knowing he could be deported and or faced a possible 10 year exclusion for reentry when you can't prove he was living and working in Mexiico. You acknowledge that you could have married him in Mexico and gone about this another way, but there was a reason you didn't do that, it isn't the first time he's jumped the fence is it? Also, even if you have are successful in getting him a GC and a legal SSN he will be fired from his current employment once they find out he was using false documents, because his employer can face penalties otherwise.

You have already submitted the applications claiming your ability to support him and provide the proof that you or in your case, your father has the means to support him when he comes to this country in order to get the appointment in November. Now you cannot go back and change your application. Believe it or not, USC live very well in Mexico, many retire there for that reason. Mexico has modern medicine available and you could come back across the border to give birth, then your child would be a USC.

Well, when I married him I didn't know anything about this immigration stuff. I just wanted him and wanted to start a family. Six months after we were married we started this process, neither one of us knowing what to do. We naively thought that we would have to pay a citation and boom, he would have his papers. I didn't know until about 2 weeks ago about exclusion, waivers, waiting periods, etc. I'm not trying to exploit the system. If fact, as I told you before, the 'hardship' paperwork is only something you file to stop deportation procedures, he is not being deported so I wouldn't be trying to prove the hardship anyway. That is not something I would file unless he was facing deportation. But, thanks for your input anyway. The State Dept person I spoke to on the phone 2 weeks ago, is the one who told me that if I had married him in Mexico and had begun the process there, then he could've immediately gotten the papers.

To clarify: He was NOT in Mexico, he has NOT been to Mexico for about 7 years.

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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Well, when I married him I didn't know anything about this immigration stuff. I just wanted him and wanted to start a family. Six months after we were married we started this process, neither one of us knowing what to do. We naively thought that we would have to pay a citation and boom, he would have his papers. I didn't know until about 2 weeks ago about exclusion, waivers, waiting periods, etc. I'm not trying to exploit the system. If fact, as I told you before, the 'hardship' paperwork is only something you file to stop deportation procedures, he is not being deported so I wouldn't be trying to prove the hardship anyway. That is not something I would file unless he was facing deportation. But, thanks for your input anyway. The State Dept person I spoke to on the phone 2 weeks ago, is the one who told me that if I had married him in Mexico and had begun the process there, then he could've immediately gotten the papers.

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Remember, ignorance is nor defense.

So after you married him you consulted an attorney who advised you and as a result of that consultation and what ever you told them or assumed they meant, you submitted on your own, an application for relative immigration, which has at it's essence the fact that the person is not residing in the USA, not already here illegally and that is why he has an appointment for interview at the consulate. You thought you could get around these regulations or that in a post 9-11 world, no one would investigate the facts. There was a time when you could pay a fine but not even that was always a sure thing and times when there was amnisty. That is why in my earlier post I made reference to him bringing proof of his contunued residence and employment in Mexico. It is then that based on the facts, they will either issue him his visa or they will implement an exclusion, if he doesn't appear, well, you can guess some of the things that may happen including deportation, then your claims of hardship will be moot because of both your intent and also your aiding and abetting. There was a case a couple years ago where a woman came to CA from Mexico as an illegal alien, had 3 USC children separated from their fathers because of domestic violence. She started a business and was a well respected member of society and then faced deportation, none of that counted, even with the support of local government she and her 3 high school aged USC children were sent back to Mexico.

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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To clarify: He was NOT in Mexico, he has NOT been to Mexico for about 7 years.

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Chelly, please try to find an immigration attorney, try the link you were given.
Try to sort through all the information on this forum that is meant to help you.

I am not an attorney. I did search the web last night and I became aware of several websites where help is available. I thought you were planning to go to an attorney today. My mistake.

See if you can find names by searching the link.

I think you will receive some additional information from members of this forum who want to help.

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Quoting deadlock

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Chelly, please try to find an immigration attorney, try the link you were given.
Try to sort through all the information on this forum that is meant to help you.

I am not an attorney. I did search the web last night and I became aware of several websites where help is available. I thought you were planning to go to an attorney today. My mistake.

See if you can find names by searching the link.

I think you will receive some additional information from members of this forum who want to help.

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She said she was planning on going to the same attorney this week.

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The immigration attorney, I haven't spoken with since he helped us initiate the paperwork. I will meet again this week with attorney and update you on that afterwards.

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Then she changed it to this:

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I don't have an appointment with anyone. I want to find a better attorney. I don't think that guy gave us very much direction. I want to find someone else. I'll have to see someone next monday, because I'm stuck at work until then. This website has been more informative for me than any attorney. Last night I got together my I485 packet so I can get that ready. I would like to find an attorney who can tell me not only what & when to file, but also what is going to happen to us at each turn.

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So the story continually changes when OP doesn't hear what she want's to hear. That is why WE have to sort through her facts because they change not because the advice is not meant to help her. We have to deal with reality, not continue your personal agenda here. She needed to retain an attorney 2 years ago rather than try to do this herself and now will cost much more to fix if it can be fixed. If she want's to remain married she may have to move to Mexico if her husband is not allowed in this country and if not, then she will have to consider divorce while he is still here and can be served so that any support orders can be enforced.

"you submitted on your own, an application for relative immigration, which has at it's essence the fact that the person is not residing in the USA, not already here illegally and that is why he has an appointment for interview at the consulate."

Ok, this part is where you misunderstand... We have never, on any of the paper work, told any lies, only truth. We have never said that he was living and working in Mexico. We stated, on the petition, that he entered illegally, where he entered, where he works here in the USA, and where we live here in the USA. His appointment is in Mexico because that is how to make the alien leave and then make it so he can't return legally for the length of his exclusion. Not because we lied. We haven't told any lies, and have not left out any material facts. On ANY of the papers. They, the USCIS, DO know every thing about his illegal entry and his illegal stay, they even know of all the employers he has worked for while he has been here. I think the appointment is scheduled at the consulate because that would be the perfect procedure to remove the alien. The alien goes voluntarily. Then cannot come back legally.

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Quoting rmet4nzkx

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She said she was planning on going to the same attorney this week.
Then she changed it to this: So the story continually changes when OP doesn't hear what she want's to hear. That is why WE have to sort through her facts because they change not because the advice is not meant to help her. We have to deal with reality, not continue your personal agenda here. She needed to retain an attorney 2 years ago rather than try to do this herself and now will cost much more to fix if it can be fixed. If she want's to remain married she may have to move to Mexico if her husband is not allowed in this country and if not, then she will have to consider divorce while he is still here and can be served so that any support orders can be enforced.

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Rmet,
"Be joyful.. because it is humanly possible"
Wendell Berry

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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"you submitted on your own, an application for relative immigration, which has at it's essence the fact that the person is not residing in the USA, not already here illegally and that is why he has an appointment for interview at the consulate."

Ok, this part is where you misunderstand... We have never, on any of the paper work, told any lies, only truth. We have never said that he was living and working in Mexico. We stated, on the petition, that he entered illegally, where he entered, where he works here in the USA, and where we live here in the USA. His appointment is in Mexico because that is how to make the alien leave and then make it so he can't return legally for the length of his exclusion. Not because we lied. We haven't told any lies, and have not left out any material facts. On ANY of the papers. They, the USCIS, DO know every thing about his illegal entry and his illegal stay, they even know of all the employers he has worked for while he has been here. I think the appointment is scheduled at the consulate because that would be the perfect procedure to remove the alien. The alien goes voluntarily. Then cannot come back legally.

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Please don't waste your energy defending yourself. It is not necessary. No one has any power over you here. You're going to get through this.

The first attorney charged $390 to tell us to file the I130 and nothing else. I wasn't trying to do it myself, I thought for that price that he had told me all I needed to know. I'm sorry, Miss Pit-of-vipers, that I didn't know everything that you know in the beginning. By the way, my story doesn't continually change, you just don't read very thouroughly. I haven't lied or changed stories. Maybe I was just unclear on all the details, but I continue clarifying them, just for you rmet4nzk. Don't you worry, the USCIS has all my information, correct and true, with nothing left out.

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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"you submitted on your own, an application for relative immigration, which has at it's essence the fact that the person is not residing in the USA, not already here illegally and that is why he has an appointment for interview at the consulate."

Ok, this part is where you misunderstand... We have never, on any of the paper work, told any lies, only truth. We have never said that he was living and working in Mexico. We stated, on the petition, that he entered illegally, where he entered, where he works here in the USA, and where we live here in the USA. His appointment is in Mexico because that is how to make the alien leave and then make it so he can't return legally for the length of his exclusion. Not because we lied. We haven't told any lies, and have not left out any material facts. On ANY of the papers. They, the USCIS, DO know every thing about his illegal entry and his illegal stay, they even know of all the employers he has worked for while he has been here. I think the appointment is scheduled at the consulate because that would be the perfect procedure to remove the alien. The alien goes voluntarily. Then cannot come back legally.

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I understand very well.
I didn't say you lied.
I said that the (I130(petition for alien relative)) is not meant for Illegal imigrants, it is meant to sponsor immigration by a relative living in another country, in this case, Mexico. You got the other part right about it being used to get the illegal immigrant to leave voluntarily and then to place the return restriction. That is why you needed to retain an immigration attorney to handle the case from the start now you may be estopped from changing it. It also opens up several other cans of worms, such as taxes. You may also want to consult a family law attorney so that you will be advised of your options should he be banned from returning, while he can be served and even if it is only to establish support orders should you be separated and the children require support.

thanks deadlock, thanks for the encouragement. I know we will. And whatever the outcome, I have a feeling of gratitude every day to have my sweet little girl and to be a citizen of the greatest place to be on this planet. Change is scary but we always get through it and get stronger, right?
Oh, thanks for the link for the attorney list, mmadsen55. Very Helpful!

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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thanks deadlock, thanks for the encouragement. I know we will. And whatever the outcome, I have a feeling of gratitude every day to have my sweet little girl and to be a citizen of the greatest place to be on this planet. Change is scary but we always get through it and get stronger, right?
Oh, thanks for the link for the attorney list, mmadsen55. Very Helpful!

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In case you have not visited this website I'll insert here for your reference:
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/legpermres.htm

a little news bulletin: In my husband's home state, Oaxaca, there have been these protests, since May. The protestors barracade the roads so that water trucks and garbage collection aren't coming in, thousands of businesses have been shut down, hotels all torn up with busted out windows, buses overturned and set on fire, they have taken over 12 private radio stations to broadcast their demands, while keeping 1.3 million students from having school this year. The protestors have assaulted and driven out the police and continue to barracade the city in attempt to keep authorities out. These protestors are tired of the government and they want Mr. Ruiz, who represents an old government that they no longer want, to resign - but he won't. Graffiti is sprayed on every available surface, some of the graffiti reads, "tourists go home" There has been quite a bit of violence and turbulence and the journalists describe it as "civil unrest which looks to have no end in sight." The US embassy advises US citizens not to travel to this region and if they do, to excercise extreme caution.
Now I'm sure I don't want us to go any time soon.

That isn't the only state in Mexico where you might relocate
Here is a map and related links for the bordering states
http://map.telesis.org/ any one of which might facilitate a continued relationship with your husband and access to all the things you miss in the US
Border-Wide Region
Baja California / California
Sonora / Arizona
Chihuahua / New Mexico / Texas
Coahuila / Nuevo Leon / Tamaulipas/ Texas

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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a little news bulletin: In my husband's home state, Oaxaca, there have been these protests, since May. The protestors barracade the roads so that water trucks and garbage collection aren't coming in, thousands of businesses have been shut down, hotels all torn up with busted out windows, buses overturned and set on fire, they have taken over 12 private radio stations to broadcast their demands, while keeping 1.3 million students from having school this year. The protestors have assaulted and driven out the police and continue to barracade the city in attempt to keep authorities out. These protestors are tired of the government and they want Mr. Ruiz, who represents an old government that they no longer want, to resign - but he won't. Graffiti is sprayed on every available surface, some of the graffiti reads, "tourists go home" There has been quite a bit of violence and turbulence and the journalists describe it as "civil unrest which looks to have no end in sight." The US embassy advises US citizens not to travel to this region and if they do, to excercise extreme caution.
Now I'm sure I don't want us to go any time soon.

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One of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die". So beautiful. Hopefully you'll be able to visit again. After your husband is an US citizen!

Thanks for the link! Thanks, everyone, for all the info. I'm ten times more informed because of your replies on this site. THANKS. Hey, I am not so experienced with attorneys, what is an average retainer fee? To simply ask a question is about $50-$75. What should I expect, maybe about $300-$500?

We cannot answer that question, it all depends on where you are located as to what attorney's charge for their services, something you can ask when you call to schedule an appointment. Many times they will screen the call based on your information and give you an idea the approximate cost. Also consult a family law attorney or your local family court's self help re orders for child support should your husband be deported. Remember there are some cities that virtually sit on the border where you could live in Mexico and access all the amenities of the US including employment by legally crossing the border, you don't have to return to his home state.

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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Thanks for the link! Thanks, everyone, for all the info. I'm ten times more informed because of your replies on this site. THANKS. Hey, I am not so experienced with attorneys, what is an average retainer fee? To simply ask a question is about $50-$75. What should I expect, maybe about $300-$500?

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This might give you a idea of fees.

http://www.usavisanow.com/immigrationservicesprices.htm

One of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die". So beautiful. Hopefully you'll be able to visit again. After your husband is an US citizen!

Yeah, my husband has told me about it, they have Myan ruins and he says the land is so beautiful because just like NC they have the mountains and the coast. When he can finally travel to and fro, legally, we want to go visit twice a year, sometimes Christmas and Easter. You've been to Oaxaca?

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Quoting CHELLYBEAN

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One of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die". So beautiful. Hopefully you'll be able to visit again. After your husband is an US citizen!

Yeah, my husband has told me about it, they have Myan ruins and he says the land is so beautiful because just like NC they have the mountains and the coast. When he can finally travel to and fro, legally, we want to go visit twice a year, sometimes Christmas and Easter. You've been to Oaxaca?

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Cancun. Loved it. Especially the leather stores with chickens, old wooden floors and Tequilas lined up. The sales person said you like this, you love Oaxaca. It's the capital, isn't?