Irish welcome President Obama’s new immigration plan

Granting full amnesty and swift citizenship to 11 million ILLEGAL Hispanic, many of whom speak very little English and are dependent on public assistance will place an unfair burden on U.S. taxpayers and accelerate the deAmericanization of the United States. But providing permanent visas to well educated, highly skilled Irish who are eager to assimilate would help the U.S. economy and reinforce the customs, culture and traditions of this great nation, as previous generations of Irish immigrants have done.

at a stroke,11 million new voters,for the democrats,clever.amasing how illegal can suddenly become legal.

THERE WONT BE ANY IMMIGRATION PLAN BECAUSE ITS CHEAPER TO HAVE ALL THE ILLIGALS THERE SO THEY'LL DO ALL THE WORK FOR HALF NOTHING ... THATS WHY THE ILLIGALS ARE KEPT ILLIGAL !!!

illegals OUT OUT OUT

Opposition to a comprehensive immigration reform bill will be risky at best. Most Americans support immigration reform. Most Americans were immigrants themselves, legal or illegal. The 2012 Presidential election sent a message that there WILL be comprehensive immigration reform. The xenophobes posting here will always be this way. No way of rescuing them from their ignorance.

illegals OUT

I think it's great to welcome the Irish. But there are way too many muslims and mexicans in America. I hope the Irish will be happy here. Our country is being torn apart from this stupid president. America is really not a happy country now and it's getting worse all the time.

Boehner says bipartisan group 'basically' has deal on immigration Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/279445- http://thehill.com/homenews/house/279445-boehner-confidence-bipartisan-immigration-bill-will-be-approved-this-congress

warrenpoint00: that's up to WoundedKnee, isn't it? He is a US citizen and we are not, hence we don't actually get a say. Just because Irish people think going to New York is more glamorous than heading for Cricklewood Broadway, doesn't mean they have a right to go to America. You watch, if Obama goes to extremes and says "Any Irish person can have US citizenship, no questions asked", no-one will want to go. It's only because there's something forbidden about it that everyone wants to go. The thrill of the illicitness will be taken out of it.

The president of the United States will probably introduce this emigration bill soon, problem is WoundedKnees an anti - emigrant nutty poster on here ,who will veto it.

Seanmor, I must say that your criticism of non-English speaking illegal immigrants (i.e. Mexicans/Latinos?) and English speaking illegal immigrants (i.e. Irish) is a bit over the top. I make no distinguish between them. Most people in both groups work extremely hard under difficult circumstances. I fully support any immigration reform measure that offers a path towards citizenship, regardless of English proficiency, that is both restrictive (e.g. no criminal records) and punitive (e.g. pay a substantial fine, back taxes and identifying employers/landlords).

I don't see anything in the article that addresses overstaying visas vs entering illegally. What paragraph are you talking about? It seems to be all about providing a path to citizenship for all. Overstaying a visa and entering illegal are both the same as far as I am concerned. Both illegal.

wjb1tex: Prior to 1965 in order to obtain a permanent visa, immigrants from Ireland and other countries needed a SPONSOR who agreed to be fully responsible for their welfare, had to be in perfect health, without a police record and in the case of mem of military age had to AGREE to sign up for Selective within 6 months. In the '60s there were 9 or 10 of us from the same parish in Ireland serving in the U.S. military. In '68 I knew an Irish immigrant who was refused a fishing permit in the NYC reservoir because of lack of citizship after serving a year as an infantry soldier in Vietnam. He and all the rest of us who HONORABLY served had to obey ALL the rules, and I still pay $50 out-of-pocket each time I visit the V.A. Hospital.

The 3rd paragraph of this article accurately describes how unfairlt would-be Irish immigrants have been treated since 1965. During Reagan's administration, about 3 million ILLEGAL aliens were granted amnesty for having broken U.S. immmigration laes and BORDER Security was supposed to be put inti effect - but it was't. Now 12 millions ILLEGALS, including many who speak little or no English, are going be fast-traced for U.S. citizenship. Who about the thousands who LEGALLY entered the U.S. but overstayed their visas, and never sought subsidized housing, clothing allowance, food stamps, free health care or any other benefits. Do these English speakers have to go to the end of the line because of their almost FULL compliance with U.S. law?

I didn't realy understand about the Irish being shut out in 1965 either, until I read about it on IC. Apparently, a bill was passed by, of all people Ted Kennedy that curtailed immigration from Ireland. What a shame because the Irish have always contributed way more than they have taken from America.