Need Help

[kclv]

I came across this website hoping to find information to help me. It is a complicated issue but I will make it short. I have been married 10 years to a man from the Dominican Republic. In 2000 I petitioned for his US residency and in 2001 he received his green card. We had numerous problems prior to this but I still petitioned for him anyway. Well I have found out that he has another life I did not know about. I have only seen him twice since he received his green card. He left me with a stack of bills and owing the IRS. I recently came across or rather someone found a birth certificate for a child he had down in the Dominican Republic. The birth certificate is dated Oct of 1999 and states that he claimed he was single and not married to anyone (I assume meaning me). I am now having serious doubts we are married or at least not married at the time I petitioned for his green card. I am in the process of filing for divorce here in the US but I am very concerned that according to what I was told at the immigration office that because I sponsored him I am " responsible" for 10 years for him. I have left out alot of the story because frankly I am ashamed this has happened to me but I really
feel that he should not be allowed to have a green card based on our marriage. Does anyone know if I can petition to have the green card taken away? Will going to immigration with a copy of the divorce once it is final help? There are alot of worthy people out there who deserve the opportunity to live here and make a better life but honestly he is not one of them. Does anyone possibly have some answers for me? Any suggestion is welcome. Thanks

 

[C R S]

A sponsor's obligation continues until the sponsored immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work, departs the United States permanently, or dies. Divorce does not terminate the obligation.

Unless your husband has been working since he got his green card, you may be looking at more than 10 years of support. Proving that he married you just for the green card may be a herculean task. If you can prove that he was already married and was not legally divorced when you and he wed, you are in luck, otherwise you may be out of luck given that you and he were together for over 5 years before you sponsored him.

Assuming that your husband has a clean record and assuming, further, that his having fathered a child out of wedlock is not an issue, your best bet is to convince your husband to become a U.S. citizen since the moment he becomes one, your obligation as a sponsor ends. A good immigration attorney should be able to advise you on whether anything that your husband has done so far would prevent him from becoming a U.S. citizen.