Irish American lobby focused on immigration reform in Obama’s second term

Solving undocumented and future flow of Irish into the United States considered vital

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KATE HICKEY,

IrishCentral Editor

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Brian O'Dwyer and Senator Chuck Schumer arrive at the CAIR Commemorative Inauguration Lunch in Washington

Photo by CAIR

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An urgent need for immigration reform was the Irish American message at a Washington inaugural brunch hosted by the Council for American Ireland Relations (CAIR).

Speaking to hundreds of representatives of the Irish and Irish American community from around the country, lawyer Brian O’Dwyer pressed home the message that immigration should become the group’s “focal issue” as Obama moves into his second term as President of the United States.

O’Dwyer, the chairman of the CAIR, a senior partner at the New York firm O'Dwyer & Bernstien and a prominent lobbyist in Washington, told the crowd at the Phoenix Park Hotel that this year would see a change to immigration reform.

He said, “[Senator] Chuck Schumer is the number one Irishman in New York State. He tells us there is an immigration bill coming through.”

Read more: New bipartisan talks begin on comprehensive immigration reform for the United States

New York Senator Chuck Schumer did not address the crowd but greeted guests during the cocktail reception.

O’Dwyer continued, “Years ago they put up a sign around the United States and that sign said No Irish Need Apply.” This year we are going to take that sign down.”

The Irish Ambassador to the United States, Michael Collins, also seconded O’Dwyer’s positive attitude toward progress with the ongoing fight for immigration reform in Washington.

Collins said, “We look forward very much to great progress here this year on immigration reform…Chuck Schumer said it’s going to be done and not only that but he also assured us that our own efforts to guarantee a future flow of Irish coming to the United States in preceding years, through an E3 program, will also be part of the bill.”

O’Dwyer added, “The reason we’re here today is because Irish America stands up and says to the American people that we’re part of the American people, we’re part of America, and we want to be recognized in the years to come. One of the things we have to do to make sure this happens is to make sure that immigration becomes our focal issue.”

Speeches at the event also referred to the changes at the Irish Embassy that come into effect later this year.

Having served in Washington since 2007, Ambassador Collins took the opportunity to officially address the news that he will, as of September, be stationed in Berlin, Germany.

He said, “It has been my real privilege to be here for five-and-a-half-years, shortly it will be six years, and in that time I have gotten to know so many wonderful, wonderful people in our community and beyond. This gives me my first opportunity, since learning about my own future, to salute all the good friends that Ireland has in this room. Ireland is blessed with friends that we have in the United States, in New York, in Washington and beyond.”

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