He overstayed the 90 day fiancé visa. Got married eventually. That should have triggered a 5-10 year bar from re-entering the US.
He could have applied for legal status immediately and it is usually waived if you pass the interview process.
Instead, 20 years later he applied for a green card to get a temporary work permit which is usually granted eligible while applying for permanent residency. So he had no work permit or valid status for 20 years.
5 months in detention seems like a long time. They offered to deport him but he refused and supposedly DHS forged his signatures.
It’s a messy case but he could have avoided the detention if he willingly asked to be deported immediately then fight for immigration status from where he has citizenship.
He could have applied for legal status immediately and it is usually waived if you pass the interview process.
Instead, 20 years later he applied for a green card to get a temporary work permit which is usually granted eligible while applying for permanent residency. So he had no work permit or valid status for 20 years.
5 months in detention seems like a long time. They offered to deport him but he refused and supposedly DHS forged his signatures.
It’s a messy case but he could have avoided the detention if he willingly asked to be deported immediately then fight for immigration status from where he has citizenship.