Since your fiance entered the U.S. legally, if you marry him, you can petition the government for him to become a permanent resident. One of the documents you would have to file is an affidavit of support. In it, you would have to show that your income exceeds $28,813 a year (if your fiance is authorized to work in the U.S., you can add his income to yours; if you or he have substantial assets (money in the bank, real estate, stokes or bonds), you can add 20% of the assets' value to the income). If your income plus your future husband's authorized earnings in the U.S. plus 20% of your and his assets do not add up to $28,813, you still have to file an affidavit of support, as the primary sponsor, and find someone who would agree to become a co-sponsor for your husband. Co-sponsor does not have to be a relative - it can be anyone who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and has sufficient income (or assets). What income is sufficient for this purpose depends on the size of the co-sponsor's family: for 1 person, the minimum is $13963 a year; for each additional member of co-sponsor's family, add ~$5000; your husband would have to be counted as a member of co-sponsor's household (and so would all the immigrants the co-sponsor co-sponsored previously). If you find a co-sponsor who has sufficient income, your own financial problems would not matter for your husband's adjustment of status.
Answered on Oct 15th, 2012 at 2:32 PM