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Irish American community leaders push for new immigration bill

By
CAHIR O'DOHERTY,
Irish Voice Reporter

Published Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 7:08 AM
Updated Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 7:45 AM

 

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Irish community leaders are being asked to give their support to the push for a comprehensive new immigration bill. The White House recently sent out invitations to Irish American community leaders nationwide to attend a special briefing on comprehensive immigration reform this week.

Obama administration officials will host the briefing on Friday January 15 in Washington where the Irish American attendees will hear from the National Security Council on US-Irish Relations. Also scheduled is a briefing from the Domestic Policy Council on immigration reform.

Stella O’Leary, president of Irish American Democrats, told the Voice: “The White House has had a very good response to the invitations they sent out from the representative Irish groups from across the United States. I’m sure they’ll get a great deal of input on the concerns of Irish America on all the issues including immigration, Northern Ireland, the economy, and I think things are shaping up very well.

The administrations objective is to secure Irish political strength to help the forthcoming immigration reform bill through Congress when President Obama is ready to submit it, which sources say will be shortly.

“The Irish have a lot of political clout on the east and west coasts and I think they’ll be enormously helpful to the president in steering the bill and getting the kind of support it needs from both parties. The activists on the Irish side like Kieran Staunton, the vice-chairman of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, are acting very diligently with both Republicans and Democrats. They’re working very hard to have the legislation passed.”

O’Leary says she believes the forthcoming immigration reform bill will be very comprehensive, addressing all the concerns of undocumented Irish people living here.

“My understanding is that it will allow a path to citizenship and it won’t be unnecessarily punitive for the fact that they’ve been here a long time. They’re already working on compiling the bill and it’s going to be a very acceptable one because the Irish leaders who are helping to put it together are very familiar with the problems. I think it will be a much better bill than anything that has been submitted previously. It’ll be very good for the Irish. If they’re here working the bill will be very good for them.”

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Posted by Meggie01 on Jan 19, 2010, 07:49 AM EST
If you do not understand what the flood of millions of illegal invaders from Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries south of our border is doing to our economy, do some research. As for the Irish, you are being used. It is much like a family begging for clemency for group theft, when all your grandmother did was steal a loaf of bread to eat, and the others in the group are jewel thieves.
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Posted by olovely on Jan 15, 2010, 01:05 PM EST
It's the sub-prime meltdown, the banks predatory lending practices, the dodgy home equity loans. the Bush administration's policies moving all the wealth of this country into the hands of the top 1%, the mortgage crisis that led to plunging property prices, a slowdown in the US economy, and billions in reckless losses by banks, who then denied credit to industry. None of that was the fault of the undocumented among us - blaming them for our problems is a disgraceful cop out and a refusal to look reality square in the face.
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Posted by kickstar on Jan 15, 2010, 09:30 AM EST
'Gwenm10100' I have to agree with you 100% and you put it most Succinctly.
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Posted by UpthePeace on Jan 14, 2010, 05:17 AM EST
blarneyrus http://www.embassyofireland.org/home/index.aspx?id=267 The above link will explain the requirements for Irish citizenship for those not born on the island. At least one grandparent or parent born on the island, including the now occupied 6 counties, is required to be considered for citizenship. I do believe in certain circumstances that a great-grandparent born on the island will be sufficient to apply. The total process can usually be completed within a year. Good luck to you.
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Posted by blarneyrus on Jan 14, 2010, 12:54 AM EST
someone mentioned that if your great grandparent is an Irish citizen then you can get citizenship...is this true, cause from my findings that has been stopped a few years ago, like 6 or so years ago....but if i am mistaken and someone knows the answer please let me know, my great grandparents were born and raised there...and i want to move to ireland more than anything! thanks so much! OH AND VINCENTRUANE....what are you talking about???do you mean legal or ILlegal aliens should get a grant...either way, if they have been in america legal or illegally and been working for many years, sounds like they are already settled to me so why should they (or you) get a grant...VS all the other hardworking citizens? haha thats funny stuff there!....
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Posted by Goosey68 on Jan 13, 2010, 09:54 PM EST
rofl NINA!
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Posted by publiussteve on Jan 13, 2010, 07:07 PM EST
It would be incredibly insensitive of Obama and Charles Schumer to peddle "comprehensive immigration reform" a/k/a mass amnesty for illegal aliens -- when the U.S. has an effective unemployment rate of 17%. Polling shows about 80% of Americans oppose "comprehensive reform" amnesty (including many if not most Irish Americans), and they will not accept any form of amnesty.
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Posted by vincentruane on Jan 13, 2010, 06:52 PM EST
All egal aliens with children should get a 20,000 dollar grant to help them get settled in America. Calling hard working people illegal is unamerican. These people have much to offer America and keeping them in a limbo is not helping America. How many great minds are being held back here? America is loosing far more than it is gaining by failing to legalize all these people immediately. America's vast size could easily hold over a billion people so give these people the same chance you had.
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Posted by MamieVanloren on Jan 13, 2010, 06:17 PM EST
I never thought the Irish would be so meddlesome and idiotic. Come in legal like other respectable foreigners do.
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Posted by hollowayroad on Jan 13, 2010, 05:22 PM EST
cinhahn :Ireland lets Americans with as little Irishness as one Great grandparent have residency and an Irish passport-no other country in Europe is as generous.The British won`t give you a passport unless you or your parent was born there.
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Posted by Gaelicpiper on Jan 13, 2010, 05:21 PM EST
It is embarrising to think that Irish citizens are here and acting the same way as the lawless and uneducated hordes from the third world. What would your priest and grandparents say?
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Posted by JimmyJK on Jan 13, 2010, 05:06 PM EST
Will Irish Americans ever be welcomed in Ireland similar to the way Jewish Americans are courted by Israel to come and live and enjoy the land of their kin?
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Jan 13, 2010, 04:08 PM EST
Fast Eddy, not when you factor in the cost of living and the VAT (Sales tax) of 21% or higher, I'm not positive on the current rate.
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Jan 13, 2010, 04:08 PM EST
Madeline, you have one Marxist in government and he is from Vermont. Just for the sake of it, even though I'm worried of the answer I might get, what other Marxists are their in your government?
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Posted by Madeleine on Jan 13, 2010, 03:35 PM EST
I can see the deals being made here, the minute I saw Hillary Clinton in Ireland making business deals I knew that our immigration burden would be added to. I welcome the Irish to our country, I wish they would welcome us to theirs. I don't see why you would want to come to the U.S there is nothing left of it, everything is going or gone including freedom. We are trying to figure out how to get rid of the marxist people in Government now and that includes Hillary, the Irish people will regret having hooked up with the US and falling all over the UN. I just bought a medicine for my husband, it said "ProAir" HFA" manufactured in Ireland on the box,whether they meant the box or the medicine doesn't matter, thats one more job the US could have done and given to another country, if you are looking for work stay in Ireland because there are no more jobs here and some of ours are going there and of course South America and china. Hillary said there is an exchange of jobs but they aren't making a dent here if there is any exchange as the job crisis is going up. America always imported and exported, now all we do is import goods and even food and export jobs. You should stay in Ireland if you want to work.
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Posted by FastEddy on Jan 13, 2010, 12:56 PM EST
cinhahn: " ... As usual, the Irish want to take advantage of what America offers, but the Irish government offers nothing in return. ..." If us gringos have a bit of cash, we can buy into businesses in Ireland, then come over as employees with a job waiting = work visa with path to Irish citizenship. A bit like joining a closed union shop ... No?
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Posted by FastEddy on Jan 13, 2010, 12:53 PM EST
I still can't figure out why you Irish folks want to come over here ... you have a much better tax situation in Ireland than in just about any US east coast state. ??
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Posted by U2rocks on Jan 13, 2010, 12:46 PM EST
You have my full support. I am praying for you.
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Posted by cinhahn on Jan 13, 2010, 11:10 AM EST
What about Americans who want to immigrate to Ireland? What kind of help or compromise will the Irish government make so that it's not bloody impossible to get anything beyond a tourist visa? NOTHING. As usual, the Irish want to take advantage of what America offers, but the Irish government offers nothing in return.
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Posted by beachline on Jan 13, 2010, 10:51 AM EST
To Gwenn10100: I do not understand your reasoning. It sounds as though you would welcome uneducated people who would be a drain on our society instead of the educated ones who contribute to the system. Most of the people who come to this country do so to make a better life for themselves and their families. Our immigration laws have so many loopholes it could be called swiss cheese. Change the laws and then enforce them.
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Posted by IrishRogue on Jan 13, 2010, 10:49 AM EST
Besides the fact that you are asking the American people to accept illegals from Ireland, we would be required to accept illegals from all countries. You also erroneously assume that President Obama has any clout at all to pass arbitrary legislation of any kind never mind something as radioactive as a new immagration policy. Folks, it just aint going to happen at least not under this current. administration.
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Posted by howareya on Jan 13, 2010, 10:47 AM EST
Do they not know that as well as the Irish that will be given a path to citizenship, there are about 20 million other illegals from poor countries that will also gain amnesty? I find it rather amusing that Ireland is pushing the US for immigration reform and they passed that law in Ireland that does not give citizenship to those that are born in the country to noncitizen parents.
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Posted by Gwenm10100 on Jan 13, 2010, 09:25 AM EST
The well educated young single Irish who knowingly came on visas not allowing them to remain legally should be sent home and not allowed to apply to re-enter for 5 years. These are not political refugees nor starving uneducated peasants but opportunists who have already demonstrated their contempt for US laws -not good candidates to be future upstanding citizens! They are takers not contributors.
 


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