26 Federal Plaza by Lionel Doe had some business to tend to today and when I awoke this morning I welcomed the day as the arduous one I knew it would be. It all goes back to when I tried to cross the US border without incident. I foolishly neglected to make absolute certain that all of my papers were in order and I was nearly denied access into the country. The border immigration authorities gave me a temporary visa and the explicit instructions to go to this address -- 26 Federal Plaza, New York City. I was to straight- en out my student visa and legalize my brief stay in New York City as a Canadian citizen. I was proba- bly in the city two days before I ventured to guess whereabouts this building would be, that it would be located where all of the other Federal and Municipal buildings were, but I didn’t know exactly. One night while walking home I passed City Hall, and stum- bled upon 26 Federal Plaza. It was typical of gov- ernment buildings, very large and cold looking. As I walked along the steps at the front entrance, I hap- pened to notice the elaborate fencing just outside the front doors. The fencing, I supposed, was to help direct the pedestrian traffic into the front doors. On this assumption I was correct, but I had no idea to what degree they were necessary, that is until nine o’clock this morning. I thought I would be in good form and tend to this business early, leaving me time to browse the library, or write e mails before my after- noon computer class scheduled at two 0’ clock. I got off the subway at the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall sta- tion and headed on foot to Broadway, to 26 Federal Plaza. I was at the intersection turning into the building when I heard the crowd. The crowd, it turned out was the lineup outside the main entrance at 26 Federal Plaza. It was a very large crowd indeed, I estimated it to be about 300 people, and it didn’t look as if they were going anywhere fast. "Oh shit" I said automatically as I started down the steps from Broadway toward the end of the line. Although I anticipated a crowd, I really didn’t foresee this kind of situation. On top of the long wait that this was certainly going to be, there was also a great deal of uncertainty plaguing my consciousness, uncertainty as to where to go, whom to see, what to say to whom where. I double checked the address (on the whims of a prayer more than anything), sighed heavily, and joined the ranks while removing my book of essays by George Orwell from my pack. A few minutes passed, in which time I became deeply engrossed in my book when suddenly I was distracted. A man with a hint of a Spanish accent was addressing every- one in the line from a perch on the steps. He announced: "Anyone who has an appointment with 26 Federal Plaza should talk to me to save time and money" and repeated this a few times. He then started to walk quickly up and down the line solicit- ing himself as some sort of shortcut immigration lawyer. It seemed fairly obvious to me that this guy . was a swindler and I found it hard to believe he expected any takers on this offer of his. The next thing I knew he was talking to this young woman in front of me, promising her a green card and an updated valid passport and that she should just come with him and he would straighten it all out. I was floored by this, I looked around for some authority thinking this must be extremely illegal and that someone should do something. As I looked around some things caught my eye. There were a number of "shops" just across the street that adver- tised similar services, shabby signs read "Immigration Here" and "Green Card Service", "USA Citizen Store" etc. I started thinking that it must be a fine line between what they offer and what was legal. For instance, the young entrepreneur that took on the teenage girl may very well have her sign some papers and say that he has done all he can, and that she now has one more thing to do. At that point he can send her right back to 26 Federal Plaza where she starts all over again, charging her a small fee for saving her all that time. Only in a free enterprising America is swindling this blatant, but perhaps I’m naive. As I was thinking this, other people in the line were getting restless and wanted to employ this man’s services, particularly the strictly Spanish speaking populace in the crowd, they must have thought that surely they could be serviced faster with this Spanish speaking "lawyer" (he was simply too young to have practiced law in any capacity). I couldn’t believe my eyes when the crowd noticeably thinned out in a small procession behind him as he took them up the steps. The man standing in front of me was visibly upset and was trying to convince these people that the young man was a fraud, that he was just after their money. I was genuinely afraid for them too, I understood their confusion and frustra- tion with ‘due process,' and I knew how desperate photographs by Lionel Doe they were to seek help from anyone who looked remotely official. Myself, I wanted nothing more than for someone to tell me anything useful regard- ing my situation (and this feeling would concentrate itself as the day went on). As I watched these peo- ple march off with the young "lawyer" the line shuf- fled forward significantly as most of the takers were ahead of me in line. My attitude suddenly changed, and I began to accept the situation if it meant that I would be done my business that much quicker. The fact that there was a whole procession of people behind this man was also a relief as opposed to the single teenage girl, at worst, he’ll rip them off of petty change, and waste their time. I thought about the idea of getting my business over with before noon, walking to central park, eating my lunch, and catching a museum before class at two. My spirits momentarily picked up and I returned to Orwell (interpreting Ecclesiastes). Objective consideration of contemporary phenomena compels the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element for the unpredictable must invari ably be taken into account. Two hours passed. It was looking as if I may not be out of this situation before noon. I thought if I just get it over with I won’t have to look at this place again. It was strangely cold outside, the wind started to blow which made the many children start to fuss and cry. Overall the idea of getting this business over with was becoming an insatiable need. At this point I was nearing the last turn in the fenc- ing outside of the front entrance, I looked up and noticed the sign over the front doors. "This line for INS forms only, for Immigration and appointments, go to the Worth St. underground entrance." Only in a free enterprising America is swindling this blatant, but perhaps I’m naive. influx: Magazine April 1999 43 26 Federal Plaza by Lionel Doe ed sore busines to tend to today when 1 fwoke this morning I welcomed the day a the tous one Ine would be. Ill gocs back to when tried to cros the US border without Incident. [foolishly neglected to make absolute certain that al of my papers were in order and Twa nearly denied access into the country, ‘The border tnd the explicit instructions to go to this addres 26 Federal Plaza, New York City. Iwas to straight fn out my student visa and legalie my brie ty in New York City asa Canadian een, Twas proba by in the city to days before F ventured to guess whereabouts this bulding would be, that it would be located where allo the other Fedral and Municipal bldings were, but Iida now exactly. One night while walling home I passed City Hall and stam bed upon 26 Federal Psa. Te was typical of go. rament buildings, very lage and cold looking. As walked along the step tthe front entrance, hap ened to notice the elaborate fencing just outside the front door. ‘The fencing, I suppoted, was to help zee the pedestrian trafic into the front doors. On this assumption Iwas correct, but I had no idea to what degree they were necessary, that is unt nine (lock this morning T thought I would be in good form and tend to this business cary leaving me time to browse the iets, o write e mails before my after oon computer clas scheduled at we o clock. 1 got ‘if the subway at the Brook Brige’Ciy al ste tion and headed on fot to Broadway o 26 Federal Placa. T'was atthe intersection turing into the bualing when T heard the crowd. ‘The crowd, turned out was the lineup outside dhe main entrance ft 26 Federal Placa It was a very large crowd indeed, I estimated it tobe about 300 people, and t didnt ook ass dhey were going anywhere fas “OB ‘hit [sid automaticaly a6 I started down the stepe {fom Broadway toward the end ofthe line. Although anticipated rom I realy didn’t foresee this Kind of situation, On top of the long wait dat this was tainly going tobe, there was aio a great deal of "uncertainty plaguing my consciousness, uncertainty sto where to go, whom to se, what to ay vo whoa where, I double checked the addres (onthe whims ‘ofa prayer more than anything), sighed henily and Joined the ranks while removing my Book of csays by George Onell from my pack. A few minutes ested in which time I became deeply engrossed in ‘my book when suddenly Iwas distracted. A man ‘otha hint ofa Spanish accent was addressing every fone in the line from a perch on the steps. He fnnounced: “Anyone who hasan appointment with 26 Federal Plaza should talk to me to save time and money" and repested this a few times. He then Started 1 walk quickly up and down the line solic ing himselt as some sort of shortut immigration lawyer Iescemed faely obvious 0 me that his wan # swindler and T found i hard 0 believe he ‘expected any takes on this ofler of his. The next thing T hnew he wa aking to this young woman in front of me, promising her a green card and an updated valid passpoct and that she should just ‘ome with him and he would straighten ial ost. 1 ‘was footed by this, T looked around for some Suthorty thinking this must be extremely illegal and that someone should do something. AS T looked around some things caught my eye. There were a umber of "shops ust actos the set that aden Used similar” services, shabby signs read “Immigration Here” and “Green” Card Service", “USA Grizen Store” et. T started thinking tha it rust be a fine ine between what they ofr end what, ‘was legal. For instance, the young enteepreneur that took on the teenage gil may very well have her sgn tome papers and say that he bas don alle can, and that she now bas one mote thing to do. At that point Ine can send her right back to 20 Federal Plaza where she stars all over again, charging her a smal fe for Saving her all hate. Only ina fe enterprising [America is sinding thi Blatant, bat perhaps Tm rave. As was thinking this, oer peopl inthe ine man's services, particularly the strictly Spanish Speaking populace in the crowd, they mast have Respir tir sarly ty cond be servi fas with this Spanish speaking “lawyer” Qh was simpy too soung to have practiced Iw in any capacity). 1 couldnt lieve my ejes when the crowd noticeably thinned out ina small procession behind him ashe took them up the steps The man standing in front ‘of me was vib upset and was trying t convince ‘these people thatthe young man was a faud, hat be twas safer their money. was guinea for them too understood dee confusion and frost: tion with “due proces; and Tknew how desperste they were t0 seek help from anyone who looked remotely offal. Myself, wanted nothing more than for someone to tell me anything ueful regard ing my situation (and thi eling would concentrate itself asthe day went on). As T watched these peo le march off withthe young lawyer" the line shut fed forward sgnfcaniy a most ofthe takers were ahead of me i ine. My attitude suddenly changed, tnd I began to accep the situation ft mean hat ‘would be done my business that much quicker. The fact that there was a whole procesion of people behind this man was also a rele a opposed to the Single teenage gi at worst, ell ip them off of ety change, and waste thee time, I thought abou the Wea of getting my business over with before ‘aching a museum Before class at two. MY spiis ‘momentarily picked up and I returned to Onvell Goterpreting Ecclesiastes. (Objective consideration of coneamporary Phenornen compels he conclusion dat fuces or flr in competive acts ‘ibs no tendency to be commensurate wh nate capac but tat a conderbie ‘Seman for the unpredictable mu nar Bly be ken ico account “Two hours passed, It was looking a8 1 may not be out of ths station before noon. 1 ‘thought iT jus gett over with T wont have to Look ft this place again I was strangely cold outside the ‘sind started to blow which made dhe many children Sart to fs and cry, Overall the Mea of getting this tbsines over with wes Becoming an iaatiable need Av this point I was nearing the last turnin the ene ing ouside of te foot entrance, I ooked up and noticed the sgn over the font doors "This line for INS forms only, for Immigration and appointments, go tothe Worth St underground entrance Only in a free enterprising America is swindling this blatant, but perhaps I’m naive. influx’ Magazine April 1999 4B