Preface: By searching in this forum and online, I understand that as a joint sponsor in I-864 for an approved and green card issued Family Petition (I-130) IR5, I am responsible until the sponsored immigrant:
- Becomes a U.S. citizen
- Can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work in the United States
- Ceases to be a lawful permanent resident
- Sponsored immigrant dies
Question: I am posting here my situation to understand if I have any remedy under bullet point #3. What are different scenarios that someone loses their permanent residency?
Situation: I agreed to become a joint sponsor of my in-laws after they stated they were retiring and just wanted to be close to their daughter as well as help care for any upcoming grandkids. They all claimed that they didn't have the need to work as they will be getting pension payments and just wanted to spend time with their daughter.
Shortly after arriving, not even two weeks in, they started desperately wanting to find work to earn "leisure"money. At times becoming aggressive for not finding jobs as is not an easy feat around these parts when they don't speak English. We finally started placing them in jobs, which they couldn't keep for more than couple of months. They found the jobs too hard, paid little or didn't give them weekends off. Six months in, they were talking non-stop about relatives in NYC living in very affordable apartments, free health care, paid less taxes and had a "card" for free groceries. Ultimately, they wanted to move there. I explained that it was very likely their relatives were obtaining public aid and committing tax evasion, something they were not allowed to do as I was a join sponsor.
Because of the behavior above, I asked them to move out into an apartment in town and hopefully by having expenses, it would incentivize them to be less picky with their jobs. It worked. However, after two years and half, they called it quit and decided to quit their jobs, end their lease, sell their car and left for their home country on the other side of the planet with no intentions to return as they own an apartment there.
Two weeks ago and 5 months after leaving, their daughter noticed a new background during their video call. Sunlight was accidentally let into the room. That's when they confessed they had returned to the U.S without telling us. They refuse to tell us where exactly they are but we have intel that they are in NYC.
I have a high degree of confidence that they will not pass the citizenship test and they will become a public charge sooner or later and is concerning how secretive they are despite knowing that we are sponsors.
I've learned my lesson about sponsorship and I before I seek a lawyer, I am brainstorming for any options available that would release me from any responsibility for their actions.