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[immihelp]

I'm hoping someone can tell me:
My friend from France married an American in the U.S. fifteen years ago; they are still married and are currently living here. They spent a few of those years in France but the majority here and have four children. Her husband is abusive and controlling and insists that she is "illegal" so she cannot work or get insurance medical or do anything. He has warned her many times not to try to get information because she could be immediately deported- without her kids. Meanwhile he refuses to work, collects food stamps, etc. while working on his musical ambitions and leaves her at home with four children and no transportation, no phone, no internet. He says they did not do appropriate paperwork upon their return from France, but will not give her the papers she needs to pursue anything.

Can anyone tell me if this sounds right?
Does she really have no options?
She is truly a prisoner here and I don't know how to help her.
They have NO money for lawyers, etc.

Thank you for any response.

[immihelp]

That does not make sense.

If they continously lived in France for 4 years, she would have lost her green card automatically and would not have been allowed to enter the U.S. If she is currently staying in the U.S., it means that she has valid green card.

If she does not have that with her, she can file for duplicate proof. Read https://www.immihelp.com/replace-greencard/

[bkwld]

This is such an unfortunate situation.

If you’re willing to help her, get the facts from her such as:
1. Does she have an old and current passport (with previous US visa and I-94)?
2. How did she initially enter in the U.S.? And after coming back from France?
3. Where did she marry? Does she have marriage certificate?

However, this is just a fact gathering to see what her current status is. Please seek help from non-profit organizations for battered women in your area and seek help.

[cismasu]

Heard about these kinds of things before... I was on a plane with a foreign baby-sitter who was abused by the family she sat at. They locked her inside, and made her stay with a bunch of other kids, change them, care for them, etc. Then they would complain that she didn't do anything right, they wouldn't pay her and she couldn't call anybody for help. One day she finally escaped somehow and ran to the neighbors screaming for help.