INS Ready--Maybe--for Flood of Amnesty Seekers

With fewer than three months remaining before applicants begin lining up, U.S. immigration authorities in San Diego and throughout the nation are gearing up for an expected crush of illegal aliens seeking legal status under the so-called “amnesty” provisions of the new immigration law.

Despite predictions that the bureaucracy will be overwhelmed, officials of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service express confidence that the amnesty program will run smoothly. The massive nationwide preparations for the legalization process are being called one of the largest such federal efforts ever, short of wartime mobilization campaigns.

“We’re right on track with our plans,” said Clifton Rogers, deputy district immigration director in the San Diego office, which covers both San Diego and Imperial counties.

During the one-year application period that begins on May 5, Rogers said, the INS in San Diego is prepared to handle as many as 150,000 applications--far more than are expected, he noted. Sites have already been selected for three INS legalization offices, in Kearney Mesa, Escondido and El Centro.

“We’re going into uncharted waters, but we feel the ability to process (applicants) is more than adequate,” Rogers said. “Barring any unforeseen problems, it looks like we’ll have the doors open and be ready to perform by the fifth of May.”

Throughout the nation, INS officials are similarly optimistic about the preparations. In an effort projected to cost more than $140 million, the INS plans to open some 100 offices nationwide, hire hundreds of new employees and conduct a massive training campaign to facilitate the legalization effort. In addition, INS officials have already embarked on a widespread public information and media effort that will soon include radio and television spots in California and throughout the West.

“We know that it’s probably one of the largest undertakings by any single federal agency,” said Duke Austin, INS spokesman in Washington. “The law mandates that we’ve got to be open by May 5th, and as far as I know, we will be able to comply with that.”

Nationwide, the INS estimates that between 1 million and 3.9 million illegal aliens will apply for legalization. Under the landmark immigration statute signed into law last November, illegal aliens may be eligible for amnesty if they can demonstrate that they have lived continuously in the United States since Jan. 1, 1982. In addition, field workers who entered the United States illegally may qualify if they performed at least 90 days of farm work here during a recent 12-month period.

Despite the upbeat assessments by INS officials, many who work in the illegal alien community remain pessimistic about the agency’s ability to implement the amnesty program adequately.

“I think they’re totally unprepared for the onslaught of applications,” said Linda Wong, associate counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in Los Angeles. “The INS has a terrible reputation for botching up a relatively easy job.”

Throughout the illegal alien community, there remains considerable confusion about legalization; a number of key points about the program remain murky. In addition, although INS officials have insisted that the amnesty process will not be seized as an opportunity to arrest aliens, the agency’s checkered record has engendered mistrust.

“I don’t think the sheep are going to go to the wolf,” said Herman Baca, chairman of the Committee on Chicano Rights, a San Diego County-based rights group. “Because of the decades-long history of INS . . . racism, deception and mistreatment, it’s my opinion that a large number of people are not going to step forward.”

Moreover, experts fear that many eligible applicants will be discouraged from applying because their spouses, children or other close relatives are unlikely to qualify. INS officials say they must consider individuals on a case-by-case basis, noting that the new law makes no provision for family applications.

“A lot of people are not going to risk breaking up their families,” said the Rev. Douglas Regin, executive director of Catholic Community Services in San Diego, which plans to assist thousands of applicants here.

No one really knows how many people will apply for amnesty in San Diego County, though one oft-quoted estimate puts the number at between 20,000-25,000. To accommodate the applicants, the INS plans to open up 58 new positions--including new hires, transfers and hirings of retired officials. In April, INS officials will conduct training sessions for new employees, as well as for workers from the independent agencies--such as Catholic Community Services--that are assisting in the application process.

There is some concern that the training schedule, beginning in April, may leave the independent agencies with little time for the expected crush once May 5 arrives. In the first 30 days, illegal aliens who are already in deportation proceedings with the INS must file their applications.

“I think that’s cutting it awful close,” said Regin. “I wish the flow of information was a little better.”

In the San Diego area, said Rogers, leases have already been signed for the three sites. Currently, officials are arranging for delivery of furniture, equipment and other items. He said he expects no shortage of available doctors to handle physical examinations of the applicants, a problem which has arisen in Los Angeles.

“There are a lot of logistics that have to be coordinated,” said Rogers. “But we feel we’re right on track.”