We don't know his story, he could be applying for asylum and is just waiting to get an EAD. The last administration made processing asylum claims more difficult and stretched out. Normally you could get an interview within the 6 month period before your non-immigrant Visa expired. But, now, you can end up waiting years. At the same time, you are not allowed to work while waiting on your interview. That's 6 months before you are eligible to even apply for the EAD. Also, these South American countries are not friendly to gay people. So, he could easily apply for asylum or already has, but needs a source of income to have shelter (address to receive mail), buy food, pay a lawyer if he has one, gym membership, afford a phone, pay the phone bill.