Green Card Applicant Who Fled Human Traffickers Fears Deportation

Newsweek

7 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A married couple in Maryland is afraid they may be forced to leave the United States after immigration officials said they plan to deny the husband's green card application, even though he once worked to rescue human trafficking victims in North Africa.
Emmanuel Unegbu, 51, entered the United States in June 2019 on a B2 visa after leaving his post at the Nigerian Embassy in Libya, where he worked for nearly two decades as a protocol assistant and humanitarian coordinator. During his time at the embassy, Unegbu helped rescue victims of human trafficking and coordinated efforts to return them safely to Nigeria, a role he says made him a target of crime syndicates.
Despite having filed for asylum in June 2020 and later marrying a U.S. citizen, Unegbu fears deportation to Nigeria, a country his wife says "he won't even last a week" in.
"I am concerned because I was in fear for my life, which is why I left Nigeria in the first place. My own government could not protect me," Emmanuel Unegbu told Newsweek.
His wife, Melody Unegbu, 44, a special educator at a non-profit school for trauma-affected youth, described him as "the kind of man that women only dream about."
"I'm very concerned about deportation. My husband is my whole life. I could not make it without him. He is the one that keeps me going when I feel like the weight of the world is just too much," she told Newsweek.
Emmanuel Unegbu pictured here with his wife, Melody Unegbu.
Emmanuel Unegbu pictured here with his wife, Melody Unegbu.
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The two met at a 7-Eleven in Maryland and married on August 25, 2023, in a civil ceremony in Annapolis. They submitted a range of documents to USCIS to prove the legitimacy of their marriage, including their marriage certificate, joint lease, shared bank accounts, letters from friends and family, photos, and tribal documentation.
But USCIS questioned the legality of Emmanuel's prior marriage in Nigeria, an Igbo tribal union that was not documented in court, and concluded there wasn't sufficient proof that the marriage was legally dissolved before he married Melody.
The couple received a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In their NOID letter, USCIS cited inconsistencies, including a claim that Emmanuel declared himself married as of May 15, 2019, during the visa process. Melody disputes this.
"He never even had an interview for his visa while he was overseas," she said. "He has documentation that says his visa application had been submitted and completed by April 25, 2019. He never spoke with anyone in the office that day or had any type of interview."
Newsweek has reached out to USCIS for comment via email.
The couple insists Emmanuel's tribal divorce took place on January 1, 2017, when his family visited his former in-laws and collected the traditional bride price, the customary method of ending a marriage under Igbo tradition.
"Both the wedding and divorce were witnessed by his family and an elder from the village, and we have sent letters from several of his family members and the elder to USCIS along with our other documentation," Melody said.
The couple noted what they believe are factual errors in the NOID itself.
"They said that he arrived here on June 14, 2019, when the stamp on his passport very clearly says admitted June 13, 2019, and all his documentation of that date has been correct," Melody said.
"They made a mistake on his case by writing the wrong date on this letter, so couldn't they have made a mistake by saying that he said he was still married on May 15, 2019, when he never had an interview in which to state that? Their inconsistencies just don't add up; they are trying to make up reasons to deny good people," she added.
The couple says they have struggled to afford legal representation and have set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for legal costs.
They have consulted with three attorneys. One demanded a $5,000 retainer, another was unable to assist outside of asylum law, and the third pressured them for payment during the initial consultation.
Emmanuel, the son of a pastor, currently works as a school bus driver in a public school system, transporting children, including those with special needs. Melody says he is beloved among the community.
"All of his students love him and their parents appreciate him always being on time and taking great care to transport their children safely," she said.
Melody has five children from a previous marriage, and Emmanuel has four children who remain in Nigeria. Most of Melody's children are now grown, but her youngest son lives with the couple in Maryland, where Emmanuel has played a central role in raising him. The couple is currently fostering a child, bringing the total number of children in their care to 10.
The situation has taken an emotional toll on the family.
"I can't focus on anything else anymore. All I do is research to try to help my case and worry about what comes next. I can't bear to be separated from my family. They are all I have and all I care about," Emmanuel said.
"We were meant to be together, and my husband is a wonderful, kind, and loving man. He is not the kind they need to be trying to get rid of; he's the kind they need more of," Melody said.
The couple maintains that Emmanuel does not have a criminal record
With their future uncertain, the Unegbus continue to plead their case, hoping for understanding, clarity, and a chance to stay together in the country they call home.
"If they decide to deport him, then they will have to deport me too. My home is wherever my husband is," Melody said.