I am asking the question for a freind. He found by INS working without authorization in 1992 with a F2 visa for a merely meal compensation. Then he moved away, and not until recently he found he has a court ordered deportation in absentia. Even though he is already a permanent resident, the court order is still there through his naturalization application. Amazing thing is that he had been out of US a few times and each time he entered as a permanent resident without getting arrested. INS simply didn't know or have the court order! And they just found it out because of his naturalization application process, and of course they won't approve his application because of the court order.
Question 1: Are these entries as a permanent resident legal ones? If they truly are as they appear to be, do they make the deportation court order go away since he did re-enter US after leaving for short times?
Question 2: If the court order still stands even though he had been lucky. What is the best way to find the length of deportation? What is a typical F2 deportation duration back in 92? He already lost of the information on his case, including location and name of court, name of attorney, etc. Only information he has is where he was.
Thanks so much.

