ST. ALBANS, Vt. -
News cameras got a long-awaited look at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Center in St. Albans Friday. It's the first time local press has been invited to an open house in the 31 years the center has been open.
The facility employs 800 federal workers and is hiring. Staff members say the goal is to employ more than 1,000 people by this time next year.
The Vermont Service Center is one of four immigration services locations in the United States. They focus on three areas of service: family, employment and humanitarian benefits.
"I think there is something about work ethic in this area that is hard to find elsewhere. I think we are here because of our sustained success," said Dan Renaud, the director of the Vermont Service Center.
The service center completes more than 1 million applications each year.
