THE AMNESTY DEADLINE

Next Wednesday, May 4, is the last day for illegal aliens to file applications for amnesty under provisions of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

WHO QUALIFIES:

Illegal aliens who can prove illegal residency since before Jan.1, 1982.

Those who entered the country on a non-immigrant visa (student, tourist, etc.) and whose permit to stay expired before Jan. 1, 1982.

Those who entered the country on a non-immigrant visa (student, tourist, etc.) and who violated the requirements of that visa and such violation was known to the Immigration and Naturalization Service since Jan. 1, 1982.

Those who can prove that the INS has granted them voluntary departure, voluntary return or voluntary extended departure before Jan. 1, 1982.

Those who can prove that they were authorized to enter the United States before Jan. 1, 1982, and that such status expired before Jan. 1, 1982.

Cuban or Haitian citizens who entered the country before Jan. 1, 1982.

WHO DOES NOT QUALIFY:

Those convicted of a felony or three or more misdemeanors in the United States. A misdemeanor is defined as a crime punishable by from six days to one year in jail. A felony is defined as a crime punishable by more than one year’s incarceration.

People who have persecuted others due to race, national origin, religion, nationality, affiliation with certain groups or political views.

People subject to exclusion under other provisions of the immigration law and who do not receive a waiver.

People who held a non-immigrant exchange visitor’s visa subject to the requirement of two year’s foreign residency, unless this requirement was fulfilled or an exemption was made.

Those who might become “a public charge.”

Those convicted of drug-related offenses, except for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana.

People constituting national security risks, communists or others who advocate the overthrow of the government.

FEES:

$185 per adult.

$50 for children under 18.

$420 per family.

WHERE TO APPLY:

Applicants can still pick up applications and return them either at INS legalization offices or through a number of private agencies known as Qualified Designated Entities (QDE).

A form must be filled out for each member of a family, including minors. A parent or guardian may sign the application of those under 16.

All applicants will be interviewed by the immigration service.

Those interested may send their applications by mail, postmarked no later than May 4, or deliver them personally to these centers, along with documentation to prove their cases.

INS offices will be open 8 a.m. to midnight on May 4. The hours of QDEs will vary.

Applicants going to a QDE need only fill out and sign the application for amnesty, and the QDE’s consent form, by midnight, May 4. The QDEs applicants then have 60 days in which to process the paperwork and pay the proper fees. At INS offices, applicants must pay the proper fees by midnight on May 4.

Some lawyers and community leaders recommend that, before turning over their applications to the INS, applicants request the assistance of someone experienced in the process. For this kind of assistance, those interested may turn to the INS legalization offices or Qualified Designated Entities listed in the columns at right.

WHO HAS APPLIED SO FAR

More than one million amnesty applications have been received in the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s Western Region, which includes California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii plus the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Midway and the Mariana Islands. The statistics for the Western region as of April 26:

TYPE OF APPLICATIONS

Legalization: 746,582

Seasonal Agricultural Workers: 277,212

TOTAL: 1,023,794

WHERE APPLICANTS ARE FROM *

COUNTRY NUMBER PERCENT OF TOTAL MEXICO 704,377 79.0 EL SALVADOR 71,544 8.0 GUATEMALA 24,028 2.7 PHILLIPPINES 10,341 1.2 INDIA 5,936 0.7 NICARAGUA 5,571 0.6 HONDURAS 4,628 0.5 IRAN 3,862 0.4 PAKISTAN 3,242 0.4 THAILAND 2,819 0.3 OTHER 56,298 6.2

* Some seasonal agricultural workers not counted.

INS LEGALIZATION OFFICES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

El Monte

9660 Flair Dr.

El Monte 91731

Hollywood

1671 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles 90017

Huntington Park

6022 Santa Fe Ave.

Huntington Park 90021

Long Beach

9858 Artesia Blvd.

Bellflower 90706

East Los Angeles

1241 South Soto St.

Los Angeles 90023

Pomona

960 East Holt Ave.

Pomona 91767

San Fernando

16921 Parthenia St.

Sepulveda 91343

Torrance

555 West Redondo Beach Blvd.

Gardena 90248

Van Nuys

11307 Vanowen St.

North Hollywood 91605

QUALIFIED DESIGNATED ENTITIES (QDE) IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

(hours open May 4 in italics)

International Assistance

9 a.m.-midnight

4905 E. Florence Blvd.

Bell 90201

213/560-7373

Community Education and Counseling Service

9 a.m.-midnight

10924 Weaver St.

South El Monte 91733

818/442-8328

Loving Shepard Lutheran Church

10 a.m.-8 p.m.

14517 Crenshaw Blvd.

Gardena 90249

213/676-8804

World Relief

noon-8 p.m.

14404 S. Crenshaw Blvd.

Gardena 90249

213/217-0034

SER-JOBS For Progress Inc.

9a.m.-5 p.m.

3800 W. El Segundo Blvd.

Hawthorne 90250

213/970-0826

International Immigration Express

10 a.m.-midnight

2671 Flower St.

Huntington Park 90255

213/583-5279

Private Immigration Agency Inc.

8:30 a.m.-midnight

2407 Randolf St.

Huntington Park 90255

213/582-9871

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church

9 a.m.-9 p.m.

6909 Rugby Ave.

Huntington Park 90255

213/585-7113

San Juan Macias Orientation Center

9 a.m.-midnight

11920 1/2 Foothill Blvd.

Lake View Terrace 91342

818/896-1156

Catholic Charities

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

125 E. 14th St.

Long Beach 90813

213/591-2089

Amnestia Confidential

9 a.m.-10 p.m.

833 S. San Pedro St.

Los Angeles 90014

213/488-0101

AFL-CIO

10 a.m.-midnight

2501 S. Hill St.

Los Angeles 90007

213/738-8359

AFL-CIO Immigration Assistance Project

9 a.m.-midnight

515 Shatto Place, Suite 200

Los Angeles 90020

213/381-2170

Angelica Lutheran Church

8 a.m.-6 p.m.

1345 S. Burlington Ave.

Los Angeles 90006

213/382-6183

Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center

9 a.m.-5 p.m.

5250 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles 90029

213-664-1137

Catholic Charities

7 a.m.-midnight

1400 Ninth St.

Los Angeles 90015

213-251-3442

Catholic Charities

8 a.m. - midnight

3772 E. Third St.

Los Angeles 90063

213/263-3214

Center For Employment Training Inc.

8 a.m.-9 p.m.

2947 E. 44th St.

Los Angeles 90058

213-582-9789

Congress Of Racial Equality

11 a.m.-midnight

1528 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Los Angeles 90062

213/298-8777

Luis A. Delgado

8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

3250 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1110

Los Angeles 90010

213/385-2909

Immigration Amnesty Services Inc.

9 a.m.-6 p.m.

311 S. Spring St., Suite 411

Los Angeles 90013

213/613-1250

International Assistance

8:30 a.m.-midnight

2113 Sunset Blvd., Suite 3

Los Angeles 90026

213/484-1881

International Assistance

9 a.m.-9 p.m.

854 N. Virgil Ave.

Los Angeles 90029

213/662-3789

International Ladies Garment Workers Union

7 a.m.-8 p.m.

675 S. Park View

Los Angeles 90057

213/380-5498

(help for dues-paying members only)

Korean Federation of Los Angeles

9 a.m.-6 p.m.

3069 W. 8th St.

Los Angeles 90005

213/389-3464

La Iglesia Evangelica Latina

10 a.m.-midnight

3303 W. Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles 90026

213/662-4552

L.A. Co. Bar Assn. Immigration Project

8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Downtown Federal Building

300 N. Los Angeles Street

4th Floor, Suite 4349

Los Angeles 90012

213/485-1872

SER-JOBS For Progress

9 a.m.-midnight

548 S. Spring St., Suite 330

Los Angeles 90013

213/622-6444

World Relief

10 a.m.-6 p.m. 807 S. Euclid Ave.

East Los Angeles 90023

213/265-3793

San Juan Macias Orientation Center

9 a.m.-midnight

13616 Van Nuys Blvd.

Pacoima 91331

818/896-6955

Catholic Charities

8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

668 S. Workman Ave.

San Fernando 91340

818/365-9500

Immigration Service of Santa Rosa

9 a.m.-midnight

606 Chatsworth Drive

San Fernando 91340

818/361-4341

St. Simon Episcopal Church

8 a.m.-midnight

623 Hagar St.

San Fernando 91340

818/365-0925

International Assistance

8 a.m.-midnight

6410 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite H

Van Nuys 91401

818/994-4691

Metropolitan Immigration Centers of America

9 a.m.- 7 p.m.

6532 Hazeltine Ave.

Van Nuys 91401

818/902-9713

SER-JOBS For Progress Inc.

10 a.m.-9 p.m.

14907 Van Owen St.

Van Nuys 91405

818/782-2112

UAW Local 645

9 a.m.-midnight

7915 Van Nuys Blvd.

Van Nuys 91402

818/782-0849

My Friend’s House

8 a.m. - midnight

6525 S. Norwalk Blvd.

(corner of Bexley Dr.)

Whittier 90606

213/699-5298

Veterans And Community Services

8 a.m.-10 p.m .

8644 Norwalk Blvd.

Whittier 90606

213/695-6706

Catholic Charities

12:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

1220 N. Sanford Ave.

Wilmington 90744

213/835-0414

Source: Immigration and Naturalization Service