OKAY, so this is probably going to be very long, but please bare with me and please only give thoughtful advice.
My on and off again boyfriend (27m) was born in Mexico and is an illegal immigrant living in the US.
Before I continue this post, yes I have done plenty of research and I don't think he has many options, but I am wondering if there is a "gray area" or an inkling of hope/opportunity for him in this country with his situation.
So, he came here when he was about 15. He came over like many do (with a small group of people, traveling on foot, only moving after the sun goes down, minimal water and food, and with a ride waiting for him over the border in Texas). His older brother was already in the US illegally and arranged for this to happen for him.
I will not be too specific, but for most of his time in the US he has been living in the Chicago land area, which helps because they are considered very lenient and do provide some opportunity for illegal immigrants.
One of the main issues, is that he never went to high school in the US or completed any type of schooling, so he was never considered for DACA. His family here in the US put him to work right away in restaurants, and none of his family ever helped him/had a plan for him when he was young to steer him in the right direction.
Now, fast forward to the present, he is 27 and has absolutely no security in this country (which many don't, and can't, which I understand). I know that there is a POSSIBILITY that if an illegal immigrant gets married to a US citizen, they can apply for a green card, but I know it is still not likely to be accepted because he has been in the US illegally for over 10 years. He has never obtained any type of VISA or done a work/school program.
He does have a drivers license thru the state of IL, but it is not a legal form of identity. His only legal forms of identity are his Mexican ID's and passports.
Some of his cousins and friends have somehow obtained green cards by getting married, but I believe that was years ago under a different presidency. I am worried that with our current policies, he has no luck of being a citizen any time soon, even if we were to get married.
I care deeply about him, but he, understandably so, very unmotivated in trying to obtain any type of legality in this country. He makes comments like "when I'm american...", and I ask him if he is saving money for a lawyer for when the time comes, and he does not have money saved up for that which makes me nervous.
He does not have a criminal record (except for a couple tickets for driving without a license before he obtained his IL DL).
Any insight?
Whether or not we proceed as a couple, I want to be able to help him in any way that I can. He is a good person, a hard worker, and was never given proper guidance/parenting.
I do get worried that if we were to have a future together, it would put added stress on myself as everything would have to be in my name, and I would also worry about building a family with him if at any moment he could technically get kicked out of this country.
*** Please do not comment on this if you are going to say anything rude about this situation as it is already extremely difficult.
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/comments/gb9kbk/help_is_there_anything_an_illegal_immigrant_can/