Hundreds Seek New ID Cards at Local INS Office

The parking lot at the Immigration and Naturalization Service office resembled a campground Tuesday morning as hundreds of Orange County immigrants--some of whom had spent the night--lined up to replace so-called green cards that expire today.

“This is ridiculous,” said Sarafina Jones, a native of Mexico who’d been standing in line since 4 a.m. “They need to work faster inside.” Jones was one of about 500 people seeking the new permanent resident identification cards that officials said were redesigned to make them more difficult to counterfeit.

While the old cards bear only the holder’s name and a front-view photograph, the new ones feature their signature, fingerprints, facial view showing the right side and a computer bar strip containing, among other things, their immigrant registration number.

“They wanted to standardize the cards because there was so much counterfeiting going on,” said Mary Kozlowski, a supervisor at the Westminster office. “The new cards are harder to counterfeit.”

The INS first announced its intention to replace the 1.2 million cards nationwide in 1992, she said. The deadline was later extended until March 1995, and then once more until today.

“This is not a new thing,” Kozlowski said.

Yet thousands of the estimated 500,000 Southern Californians who hold the old cards apparently waited until the last minute to make the switch.

“A lot of people knew they were supposed to do this, but we all put it off,” said Norma Hussey, originally of Mexico.

Duc Nguyen, originally of Vietnam, said she regretted not having acted sooner.

“I should have done it earlier when I had the chance,” she said. “It’s always so busy here.”

If people don’t make the deadline, they will not lose their permanent resident status or be deported, Kozlowski said. But with expired cards, she said, some people could run into trouble trying to reenter the country after traveling abroad, applying for a new job or applying for new Social Security benefits.

“Some people could experience some consequences,” she said.

That possibility seemed to have motivated many of those gathered outside the INS office. Some people in the crowd had been there since 7 p.m. the night before.

“Everybody is very paranoid,” said Brian Dayus, a native of England who’s been living in the United States since 1963. “We don’t want to find out the consequences.”

After opening the doors about 8 a.m., INS workers began processing the applicants and taking their fingerprints. Extra workers will accommodate as many applicants as possible during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to INS officials.

Unlike the old green cards that did not have to be renewed, Kozlowski said, the new ones--which cost $75--need to be renewed every 10 years. Applicants are required to supply their own current photographs and they will receive the new cards in the mail within six months.

The new cards will replace some so old that they bear the pictures of immigrants who entered the country as children.

“I’m an American,” said Tim O’Key, 38, a resident of Orange who came to the United States from Canada at the age of 7. “I get goose bumps when I hear the National Anthem. People who’ve been here as long as I have shouldn’t have to go through all this.”

Dayus, now 49, chuckled as he showed a permanent resident card bearing his picture at age 17. “I’ve changed a lot,” he admitted.

The long wait and frustration apparently moved some applicants to seriously consider becoming U.S. citizens.

“I’m just going to become a citizen now,” said Steve Pham, 20, who came to the United States from Vietnam as a child. “That way I won’t have to go through this anymore.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

What If . . .

Here’s the story if you don’t apply for your new green card and the old one expires:

* No one will lose permanent resident status

* No one will be deported

Some difficulties you may face:

* Trying to reenter the U.S. after traveling abroad

* Applying for a new job

* Applying for new Social Security benefits

Source: Immigration and Naturalization Service

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Different Deal

New permanent residency cards will differ from the ones previously issued. Here’s how:

OLD CARD FEATURES

* Holder’s name

* Front-view photograph

NEW CARD FEATURES

* Signatures

* Fingerprints

* Facial view showing right side

* Computer bar strip containing, among other things, individual’s immigrant registration number

Source: Immigration and Naturalization Service

Different Deal, Los Angeles Tiems