I think first comes the well being of your 3 year old and you. Don't ruminate about the mistakes, think ahead. Police are usually compassionate toward these type of cases, but you will have to make your case. Have you taken pics of the abuse, can you prove it convincingly? Once you report it to the police, they can issue a protective order immediately and in some states, he will get charged with domestic violence whether you want to press charges or not.

The bottom line in my opinion is that if you feel your life or that of child is in danger, then you should immediately report it. If you can, call your local police hotline and ask to speak with a woman police officer, and ask for some advise. The purpose is to find a police officer who would be as empathetic as possible. In any case, unless you are in a known anti immigrant state, then the possibilities of their asking for your papers are very slim. In theory, only AZ and VA are doing this right now.