‘Green Card’ Process Pleases Immigrants

Paperwork, photo identifications and checkbooks in hand, some 400 resident immigrants streamed through the East Valley Multipurpose Senior Center to renew what are colloquially called “green cards.”

“It’s our busiest ever,” said Geneva Ruiz-Hyatt, the center’s assistant director and the program coordinator for immigration processing.

At 7:30 a.m. Thursday, the line of waiting resident immigrants snaked about a block from the center, which arranged the renewal session with the Immigration and Naturalization Service for resident immigrants who missed a March 20 deadline. The INS occasionally sets such dates to renew cards without penalty, Ruiz-Hyatt explained.

By midmorning, the crowd had cleared somewhat and people were amazed at the processing speed.

Merrily Mellin, a native of British Columbia, described the help of center volunteers and the four INS officers as “simply fantastic.”

“I parked my car at about 10” in the morning, the Simi Valley resident said. “It’s taken less than 15 minutes, and that includes walking here” from the parking lot.

Shelly Finley, a Canoga Park resident and a native of Manitoba, contrasted the experience with waiting to renew downtown on the March 20 deadline.

“I waited five hours--it was drizzling and rainy--before I finally got into the building,” she said. “Just as I got into the building, they ran out of numbers, so it was futile.”

Resident immigrant cards enable carriers to get jobs, receive certain government assistance or leave the country without fear of penalty or being denied reentry to the U.S.

On May 16, the San Juan Macias Orientation Immigrant Center, 13672 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima, will also have INS officials available to renew cards. For information or to make an appointment, call (818) 896-1156.

Due to the response, the East Valley Multipurpose Senior Center, 5000 Colfax Ave. in Valley Village, plans to host another “green card” renewal day sometime in June.

A date has not been set, Ruiz-Hyatt said.

For information, call (818) 766-5165.