Immigration/Criminal case advice

Location: Ohio

Basically, I (in Ohio) have a friend (who I don’t know super well) who is an immigrant in Illinois and has been working there with a lawyer on a green card for many years now. I don’t really know the specifics about their status as a citizen.

They told me that they had left the country on vacation last year and that in their process of passing through the border their phone was seized and that potentially incriminating messages between them and I were pulled as evidence against their case (we were both in New York at the time of the message exchange, staying together).

They are asking that I submit a sworn and signed statement of evidence about our message exchange, basically explaining that they (we?) are not involved in criminal activity.

I asked them to speak to their immigration lawyer. I have a minor record and don’t know the legal implications of what I am involving myself in (although I suppose I am already involved?)

I was naively expecting the immigration lawyer to be like “no it’s fine, you are a citizen and this case isn’t against you and this is nothing more than a letter.”However the immigration lawyer made me feel a lot worse about involving myself in the situation saying they can’t advise me about how anything will play out and suggesting if I have concerns I need to consult a criminal lawyer.

I have never had to get a lawyer before, and they noted that even a consultation (which is what I think I am looking for) will cost a few hundred dollars.

I want to help my friend, but once again we aren’t super close and I don’t want to further involve myself if it is risky for me. I feel awful about that.

I guess my questions are:

1. Is there serious potential for me to be further involved in this situation by providing this statement beyond a simple letter?

2. Am I further implicating myself by submitting a statement with my personal information in relation to these potentially incriminating messages I exchanged with them?

3. Should I consult a lawyer about this? Am I able to be fully honest with them even in a consultation? Is there any way I can get one at a low cost?