Leedah

Thanks for the kind words.
And yes, I am very happy now and the outcome was just icing on the cake. hehehe.
In reference to someone else's question,...I did see some of the signs. Normally if the behavior had happened initially in the U.S., I would have promptly disappeared from his sight. Unfortunately, as we all tend to do, I equated the behavior to a cultural difference. I actually thought he would get to the U.S. and see the level of decorum and apply it to himself. Not. lol
Anyway, time has been good to me and I've gained a great career out of this mess as well as learned a boatload about immigration.
For those in a similar situation, know that time will help you. I was a hot mess with a side of depressed when this all happened last year. Now, amazingly, I don't feel anything bad or good; I'm ambivalent about the situation. Someone told me that love and hate are two opposite emotions. Each one has a hold on your psyche. It's only when your at the "eh whatever" point that you are truly free.
I went from the "oh my god, I have gotten him arrested,...my baby is gone",...to "he put his no good hands on me?!? After all I did for him! That rat bas*$#D is going DOWN!".....
After a year, I sometimes have to remind myself of the journey I took and the strength and fortitude I showed in getting him here. Now I apply that same tenacity to whatever I'm doing and boy has it paid off.
If you put the same energy into yourself that you put into others, imagine what you could accomplish.
Leedah

Hi Enlighten One,
I am like a bloodhound when it comes to locating and remembering information (probably why I'm a journalist with my own column lol).
I was able to know he was deported through the immigration court and his A number.
Leedah

Hi Everyone.
Happy Day Today!!
My ex whom I married was finally ordered to be removed!
For those of you who may not remember me, my case involved a spouse whom I petitioned for using the I-130 (received a CR-1) conditional green card) who subsequently committed aggravated assault and was found to be married to someone else in their country, committing adultery and who knows what else.
I contacted ICE & USCIS, they investigated him and sent a Notice To Appear. The judge saw through the sham and ordered his removal.
This all happened in less than one year from him getting into the U.S.
So those that are in these types of situations, just document everything you can and report it.
There are some happy endings after all.
YAY! No more I-864! Woo Hoo.
Leedah

Hi Everyone.
Happy Day Today!!
My ex whom I married was finally ordered to be removed!
For those of you who may not remember me, my case involved a spouse whom I petitioned for using the I-130 (received a CR-1) conditional green card) who subsequently committed aggravated assault and was found to be married to someone else in their country, committing adultery and who knows what else.
I contacted ICE & USCIS, they investigated him and sent a Notice To Appear. The judge saw through the sham and ordered his removal.
This all happened in less than one year from him getting into the U.S.
So those that are in these types of situations, just document everything you can and report it.
There are some happy endings after all.
YAY! No more I-864! Woo Hoo.
Leedah

In answer to your question:
It wasn't his first time. I would visit him and he would do it in subtle ways in the beginning.
Like if we were going somewhere and I was walking too slow for him (he's 6'1 & I'm 5'3), he would grab my hand and drag me along. (I thought it was just to make sure we could catch one of the taxi's that would speed by, but now I realized that none of the other men would treat their wives like that). Later on, it got progressively worse and of course my denial of how he was treating me progressed as well.
Withstanding all that, I stayed because I figured that he was acting that way due to him not having any experience with women (he was a virgin though we are close to the same age), traveling or just plain being a man. I thought he would change once he got to the U.S. and saw that it is more civilized in terms of how women should be treated. This is also what his whole family and his friends told me. Big mistake. People don't change unless they want to.
As for him getting deported, I'm not sure what will happen on that. He doesn't have any evidence of us living together and I've already sent info to uscis regarding this whole shebang (including documentation of the arrest, no violent contact order from judge, victim letter, info on pending divorce, etc). I doubt he cares about any of that or will even remove conditions. I think he is just hanging in and working as much as he can for money until they come looking for him or he finds a way to keep his status some other way.
Maybe pushbrk can give some insight on what he thinks. Somebody pm him to come visit this section and lend his expertise.
Anyway, I got out and am happy for it.

If the girl did not marry her first fiance within that first 90 days, then she is considered "out of status" and would most likely have to return home and try again with the new guy or risk being sought out by ICE agents and deported.
The new guy can't do anything because she only has a fiance status (which is only valid for 90 days once activated).
Also she can't really claim the VAWA (violence against women and children) act to stay because she wasn't married yet and since the guy never even came to the airport, there was no violence. Now I know one could say that since he left her at the airport, that's abuse. However, I wouldn't pull that card because she would have a hard time proving her case and any abuse if he wasn't around.
People change their minds about love all the time. Though it's a hard pill to swallow, she needs to immediately rectify her situation by going home, having the new guy visit her in Nigeria and actually plan a real wedding and marry in Nigeria. If she tried to marry the new guy here in the U.S., the USCIS would ask what happened to the first guy, how did she support herself financially after the guy left her (she isn't legally allowed to work without adjusting status first), why did she not notify the USCIS about her situation and go the legal route with the new guy, etc etc. It will seem fishy if she say the guy didn't even show up to the airport....considering the mounds of paperwork that people have to complete just to get any foreign person into the United States. Hmmm....something doesn't add up, Sherlock.

If the girl did not marry her first fiance within that first 90 days, then she is considered "out of status" and would most likely have to return home and try again with the new guy or risk being sought out by ICE agents and deported.
The new guy can't do anything because she only has a fiance status (which is only valid for 90 days once activated).
Also she can't really claim the VAWA (violence against women and children) act to stay because she wasn't married yet and since the guy never even came to the airport, there was no violence. Now I know one could say that since he left her at the airport, that's abuse. However, I wouldn't pull that card because she would have a hard time proving her case and any abuse if he wasn't around.
People change their minds about love all the time. Though it's a hard pill to swallow, she needs to immediately rectify her situation by going home, having the new guy visit her in Nigeria and actually plan a real wedding and marry in Nigeria. If she tried to marry the new guy here in the U.S., the USCIS would ask what happened to the first guy, how did she support herself financially after the guy left her (she isn't legally allowed to work without adjusting status first), why did she not notify the USCIS about her situation and go the legal route with the new guy, etc etc. It will seem fishy if she say the guy didn't even show up to the airport....considering the mounds of paperwork that people have to complete just to get any foreign person into the United States. Hmmm....something doesn't add up, Sherlock.

If the girl did not marry her first fiance within that first 90 days, then she is considered "out of status" and would most likely have to return home and try again with the new guy or risk being sought out by ICE agents and deported.
The new guy can't do anything because she only has a fiance status (which is only valid for 90 days once activated).
Also she can't really claim the VAWA (violence against women and children) act to stay because she wasn't married yet and since the guy never even came to the airport, there was no violence. Now I know one could say that since he left her at the airport, that's abuse. However, I wouldn't pull that card because she would have a hard time proving her case and any abuse if he wasn't around.
People change their minds about love all the time. Though it's a hard pill to swallow, she needs to immediately rectify her situation by going home, having the new guy visit her in Nigeria and actually plan a real wedding and marry in Nigeria. If she tried to marry the new guy here in the U.S., the USCIS would ask what happened to the first guy, how did she support herself financially after the guy left her (she isn't legally allowed to work without adjusting status first), why did she not notify the USCIS about her situation and go the legal route with the new guy, etc etc. It will seem fishy if she say the guy didn't even show up to the airport....considering the mounds of paperwork that people have to complete just to get any foreign person into the United States. Hmmm....something doesn't add up, Sherlock.

Yes, that is EXACTLY what they told me. Wow, amazing.
They do that (the waiting game) to give the intending immigrant who is considered a fraud time to get frustrated & tired of waiting and just take off.
I don't know how I feel telling you this bit of information because I know that you would obviously tell your wife and if she is a fraud, she will undoubtedly keep on for the prize.
You also mentioned being from the same country and knowing your wife.
I lived in my ex's country off and on since 2005 and I thought I knew him also. I traveled back and forth from the U.S. to Senegal, traveled into Gambia by bus (6 to 8 hours) by myself every month and eventually learned the language just to keep from getting lost. I am the same religion (muslim), I am a black person (same as my ex), I have children from a previous person who is from the same country AND same area, have met (several times) the whole family, etc etc.
Say all that to say,....it doesn't matter.
If your case ends up in review, something is amiss.
No one has time to review cases months and months at a time and perform extra interviews on a whim.
Good luck.

Yes, that is EXACTLY what they told me. Wow, amazing.
They do that (the waiting game) to give the intending immigrant who is considered a fraud time to get frustrated & tired of waiting and just take off.
I don't know how I feel telling you this bit of information because I know that you would obviously tell your wife and if she is a fraud, she will undoubtedly keep on for the prize.
You also mentioned being from the same country and knowing your wife.
I lived in my ex's country off and on since 2005 and I thought I knew him also. I traveled back and forth from the U.S. to Senegal, traveled into Gambia by bus (6 to 8 hours) by myself every month and eventually learned the language just to keep from getting lost. I am the same religion (muslim), I am a black person (same as my ex), I have children from a previous person who is from the same country AND same area, have met (several times) the whole family, etc etc.
Say all that to say,....it doesn't matter.
If your case ends up in review, something is amiss.
No one has time to review cases months and months at a time and perform extra interviews on a whim.
Good luck.

The reason the case went to this department is because someone in that unit thinks their is some evidence of fraud going on.
Mine went through this unit and also a few others that I know of.
Guess what, they were ALL turned out to be fraud AFTER they were approved for their visa. In my case, they did everything but sit me down and plainly say "uh, your husband is a fraud and you need to stop your petition right this moment". Naturally I wouldn't have believed them and would have did everything humanly possible to prove them wrong (which I did). Well, they were right.
All I can say is, if your case ends up in this unit, start looking long and hard at your situation to see why they feel it is fraud.
These people actually live in Dakar and know all the customs, language, idiosyncrasies, ....everything about what fraud looks like.
I personally thought, "hey, they are American just like me. They don't know my marriage". Well, turns out they did but can not, by law, force you to abandon a petition if you can prove that YOU THINK your marriage is real and legit, even if it isn't.
I think they will just approve the petition and take a "I told you so" stance after the fact.
Good luck in your review and be careful.
P.S.
Here's a barometer..
If the case is in review and they make her come to more than one fraud interview over the months, not to be funny, but you definitely should do some soul searching.

Uh no, your status isn't "safe" even after you get your two year green card.
My ex is now sitting in some unknown ICE location waiting to be deported. His green card status would have had one more year on it if he hadn't busted loose as soon he set foot on U.S. soil.
Think about what your doing. USCIS does listen to spouses when they report fraud. I reported my ex and he's outta here within 1 year. See my timeline.

Uh no, your status isn't "safe" even after you get your two year green card.
My ex is now sitting in some unknown ICE location waiting to be deported. His green card status would have had one more year on it if he hadn't busted loose as soon he set foot on U.S. soil.
Think about what your doing. USCIS does listen to spouses when they report fraud. I reported my ex and he's outta here within 1 year. See my timeline.

Uh no, your status isn't "safe" even after you get your two year green card.
My ex is now sitting in some unknown ICE location waiting to be deported. His green card status would have had one more year on it if he hadn't busted loose as soon he set foot on U.S. soil.
Think about what your doing. USCIS does listen to spouses when they report fraud. I reported my ex and he's outta here within 1 year. See my timeline.

Call the state department ASAP and request them to place a flag on your child's passport. This will prevent your wife from leaving (atleast with the child) should she decide to.
You need to call them ASAP.

Contact ICE while you still have a chance.
Also get in a women's support group for domestic violence victims.
You seem to be suffering from battered women syndrome and he may be either on drugs, bipolar or just looking for a way to scare you into going through with the green card.

Read my article to learn more about domestic violence and drug use.
Sorry your going through this all.
Once you leave him completely (get a restraining order), you will feel much better.
Leedah

Contact ICE while you still have a chance.
Also get in a women's support group for domestic violence victims.
You seem to be suffering from battered women syndrome and he may be either on drugs, bipolar or just looking for a way to scare you into going through with the green card.

Read my article to learn more about domestic violence and drug use.
Sorry your going through this all.
Once you leave him completely (get a restraining order), you will feel much better.
Leedah

Hi Everyone.
Happy Day Today!!
My ex whom I married was finally ordered to be removed!
For those of you who may not remember me, my case involved a spouse whom I petitioned for using the I-130 (received a CR-1) conditional green card) who subsequently committed aggravated assault and was found to be married to someone else in their country, committing adultery and who knows what else.
I contacted ICE & USCIS, they investigated him and sent a Notice To Appear. The judge saw through the sham and ordered his removal.
This all happened in less than one year from him getting into the U.S.
So those that are in these types of situations, just document everything you can and report it.
There are some happy endings after all.
YAY! No more I-864! Woo Hoo.
Leedah

Yeah Nigeriaorbust,
ICE is good at what they do.
They found out things that I didn't even know about.
They went to town digging and found out a hornets nest of information.
And yes, a chapter is closed and I'm beyond happy.
Leedah

Hi Everyone.
Happy Day Today!!
My ex whom I married was finally ordered to be removed!
For those of you who may not remember me, my case involved a spouse whom I petitioned for using the I-130 (received a CR-1) conditional green card) who subsequently committed aggravated assault and was found to be married to someone else in their country, committing adultery and who knows what else.
I contacted ICE & USCIS, they investigated him and sent a Notice To Appear. The judge saw through the sham and ordered his removal.
This all happened in less than one year from him getting into the U.S.
So those that are in these types of situations, just document everything you can and report it.
There are some happy endings after all.
YAY! No more I-864! Woo Hoo.
Leedah

I contacted ICE and they have my ex now in deportation proceedings.

I contacted ICE and they have my ex now in deportation proceedings.