'GREEN CARD' DEADLINE TODAY.

Byline: Susan Goldsmith Daily News Staff Writer

Hundreds of immigrants from places as far away as Indonesia, Brazil and Japan lined up outside the federal building downtown Tuesday in an 11th-hour push to apply for new counterfeit-resistant "green cards."

By early Tuesday morning, more than 500 people - many with children in tow - stood in a line that snaked around the building. All were anxious to apply for the new Alien Registration Cards before today's deadline.

"I'm a procrastinator," said Loida Spicer, a Guatemala native who stood in line with her husband and 4-year-old son. "And I hate waiting, driving and parking. It's a big hassle."

The documents - actually colored pink and computer coded - prove that the holder is a legal resident and can be employed in the United States.

Besides carrying the holder's fingerprint, signature, photo and a 10-year expiration date, they also have tamper-proof features that are not being disclosed.

Although the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service had extended the deadline to apply for the new green cards three times since 1992, many of those in line said they had just heard about the program.

Today is the deadline to apply for replacement of all cards issued before 1979.

"I didn't know about the deadline until this week," said David Wilson, a 22-year-old Canadian native who has lived in the United States for 20 years. "Immigration did not do a good job of publicizing this."

But INS officials said they had made every effort to get the word out about the program, including working with community organizations and media around the country.

"We've been doing ongoing outreach . . . This green card replacement effort has been going on for two years," INS spokeswoman Virginia Kaice said. "It's human nature to put things off."

The new cards, which cost $75 each, are expected to be mailed in six to nine months, said Rico Cabrera, an INS spokesman.

Aside from needing the green cards to apply for jobs, the documents also are needed when legal immigrants re-enter the United States or when applying for government benefits, said Cabrera.

Those who do not apply by today, however, will not lose their permanent status and will not be fined, Cabrera said.

The INS will continue to process applications after today, but officials are encouraging immigrants to apply by today's deadline, he said.

On Tuesday at the federal building, Honduras native Robert Lebe said he was not going to let the long line ruin his day.

"There's no use in getting angry about this," said Lebe, 31, who now lives in Wilmington. "This is just part of being an immigrant."

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Immigrants line up Tuesday to register for new tamper-proof green cards at the federal building in downtown Los Angeles. Bob Halvorsen/Daily News