Haven't seen this, but if this has already been posted, delete.
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chicagotribune.com
Immigrant activists slam green card renewal plan
By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah

Tribune staff reporter

9:01 PM CDT, August 24, 2007

Immigrant advocates spoke out Friday against a federal proposal that would require lawful permanent residents to renew green cards with no expiration dates.

The proposed rule, which has yet to meet final approval, could affect about 750,000 permanent residents who received green cards that did not list expiration dates between 1979 and 1989. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the proposal earlier this week as part of its ongoing efforts to update green cards every 10 years.

The agency is seeking public comment on the proposal. If the measure wins final approval, affected permanent residents would have 120 days to apply for a replacement green card. If they don't, the green card would be invalid, which could hinder some immigrants' ability to work in the U.S., USCIS officials said.

Immigrant advocates say it's not enough time to renew the card and federal officials are not doing enough to inform card-holders of the plan.

"I really think you should give people at least a year to renew their green cards and [the federal government] should have a very aggressive educational campaign," said Mary Meg McCarthy of the National Immigrant Justice Center.

Drug convictions, misdemeanors such as shoplifting or misrepresentation on any government forms or documents could lead to a permanent resident being deported, said officials of the National Immigrant Justice Center.

Dave Gorak, executive director of the Midwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration, said deporting criminals would be a good thing.

"Our response to that would be, 'So what?,' " Gorak said. "We have no problem deporting people who shouldn't be here in the first place."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 1442.story