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Judge calls on Ancient Order of Hibernians to get involved in immigration reform

Leader in 1965 fight says need was never more urgent to help young Irish

JAME O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, March 4, 2013, 7:28 AM

Updated Monday, March 4, 2013, 7:28 AM

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New York judge calls on Ancient Order of the Hibernian to fight for immigration reform for the Irish

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Judge John Collins, a retired Bronx-based Supreme Court judge in New York State and leader in the fight to change the 1965 Immigration law which essentially barred the Irish from the U.S., has called on the new generation of Ancient Order of Hibernian leaders to get involved.

Speaking at a St. Patrick’s AOH Division 5 event in new York where he was a guest of honor, Collins called on the AOH leadership to become deeply involved in the latest moves for comprehensive reform.

He stated, “Shortly, indeed very shortly the Congress and the President will take up the issue of immigration and undocumented individuals.

“That issue now is far different that it was forty years ago when I spoke before Congressional Committees and it is important that the AOH be concerned with it. The national AOH leaders need to be in contact with the legislators and determine what is possible and what is not and what the Irish should be looking for.

“You as individual members can keep the pressure on those national AOH leaders. Only 311 Irishmen and women were able to receive documented immigrant visas in 2011.

“We are no better than any other nationality but we do have some bragging rights and we deserve a fair shake.

“So what must the AOH say to Congress and Why? 40 years ago, the former National Chaplain of the AOH, a Carmelite priest from St. Simon Stock Parish, Fr. Donal O'Callaghan spoke to Congress about the Irish contribution to labor, politics, and the Church, but the first part of his remarks set the tone. He said in part-

“We ask you to look at the record. We are not Johnny come latelies. We have been here from the beginning. We were with Washington at Lexington and Concord and suffered through Valley Forge. When Benjamin Franklin addressed the Irish Parliament, he said that the Irish people were with us to a man. General Washington Parke Curtis said, -Up to the coming of the French, Ireland had furnished in the ratio of 100 to one of every nation whatever.

“In the war of 1812, the only great victory was won by a son of Irish immigrants, Andrew Jackson.

“Two thousand native born Irish fought under General Winfield Scott in the war against Mexico. One half of General Taylor's Army were Irishmen.

“In the War between the states whole Divisions of the Ancient Order of Hibernians went off to fight for the Union. 300,000 Irish born men wore the uniform of Blue and 150,000 died for the Union cause.

“In the First World War, when General Pershing crossed the Rhine, he came upon a regimental flag that couldn't stand straight because it had so many campaign ribbons on it. He asked an aide for the name of the regiment. Told it was the 69th of New York, he said, I should have known.

“WWII gave us the names of Colin Kelly, Admiral Callaghan and Father Joseph O'Callaghan, the first minister of religion ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

“Under our present laws, many of these individuals and their ancestors would never have been admitted here. How can we sum up the record. We can do it no better, than by quoting John Boyle O'Reilly, Editor of the Boston Pilot.

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Smyrnian | Mar 06, 2013, 06:32 AM EST

The AOH is a fraternal,charitable organization with strong Christian values; an organization that does a lot of good.

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Seanmor | Mar 05, 2013, 07:32 PM EST

I never joined the A.O.H. and I never will. But as a Marine Corps veteran and an active Legionnaire I admire the A.O.H. for their strong pro-American policies, and as a practicing Christian, I apprecaite their support for natural marriage and their protection of the unborn.

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torbreezy | Mar 05, 2013, 08:39 AM EST

Judge Collins was in the vanguard for Immigration Reform and still is: I nominate him to be the next Grand Marshall of the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade ! ! !

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anglo-norman | Mar 04, 2013, 10:51 PM EST

The AOH are a sectarian organisation.

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merefalow | Mar 04, 2013, 07:32 PM EST

amazing country,everyone and their dog wants to go there ,and has.what about when a country gets overloaded,full up,like europe,uk,ireland,usa,and still they flood in,give me your poor,your huddled masses,and they did,so many they had to build a wall to keep them out,one day the world will wake up to the real problem,OVERPOPULATION.

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anglo-norman | Mar 04, 2013, 05:23 PM EST

illegals OUT

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WoundedKnee | Mar 04, 2013, 02:19 PM EST

This judge should be ashamed of himself. He is is trying to encourage young Irish people to abandon their homeland. Why? If he had any true feeling for Ireland--instead of for Irish America--he'd be telling the young Irish to stay in their country and resist its takeover by the EU and sundry foreigners. And incidentally, his reference to "Two thousand native born Irish fought under General Winfield Scott in the war against Mexico" is quite disgusting--Irish people should not be proud of participation in an ugly imperialist war. This old fool is an enemy of Ireland.

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olovely | Mar 04, 2013, 02:17 PM EST

The AOH are just a branch of the Republican Party. You might as well ask them to support gay rights.

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joan1954 | Mar 04, 2013, 10:30 AM EST

The call to action to be given to all Irish organizations not just to the AOH. Many Irish Americans in the south are not Catholic but are equally as proud of their Irish roots. Case in point the judge mentions Andrew Jackson.

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eiriamach | Mar 04, 2013, 10:14 AM EST

Oh that's all we need, right? Another Catholic lobbying outfit meddling in US politics, another embarrassment for Irish America. The American public is still disgusted by the UCCB's misogynist opposition to fair and rational reform of health law. The Catholic establishment has publicly castigated the LCWR, the nuns, for working on social justice with the poor, the sick, and the needy rather than spearheading their anti-abortion and anti-LGBT campaigns. What has the AOH done to pressure the Church to clean up its sexual abuse mess that has discredited Irish Catholicism? The conservative, anti-gay-rights, obsequious-to-bishops AOH is SO obviously the wrong organization to take on this -- very worthy and important! -- task of immigration reform. How can the homophobic AOH help pass the Uniting American Families Act that includes a provision for re-uniting LGBT partners? Ridiculous! This move is more likely to turn the public against more Irish immigration than to do any good at all.

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Seanmor | Mar 04, 2013, 10:11 AM EST

Thanks to the former judge for reminding us of the great contributions Irish immigrants and their descendents have made to the U.S. I once had the pleasure of meeting Judge Collins. It was at a céilí at the Woodlawn PRESSBYTERIAN church hall held by the Bronx Gaelic League during his election campaign in the mid-80s, when the Democrat machine REFUSED to back his reelection, on account of his race and color.Having gived 4 years of HONORABLE service to the U.S. Marine Corps, I too would like to add my voice to those who support incresed visas for deserving Irish immigrants.

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DanDennehy | Mar 04, 2013, 09:18 AM EST

Inspiring words and a call to action to my fellow Hibernians and all Irish America. The event yesterday was one of the finest in my life as a member of the AOH. As AOH National Immigration chairman and a founding member of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement, I recall the role of the AOH in each and every immigration battle. We are at the front today and we strongly advocate for Irish immigrants, present and future. My father, along with the good Judge, was part of the Bronx immigration committee that warned of the changes that the 1965 immigration laws would bring as others sat idly by.The AOH are never silent about the role of Irish America in US history,and why Ireland along with other countries, need to have a path to safe and legal immigration to maintain our rich cultural ties. Along with his fellow honorees including my wife, Siobhan Dennehy, Executive Director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center and Bob Nolan, President of Div 3 Bronx, Judge Collins gave a great address to the packed house and spoke from experience on how we must be leaders on the front of immigration reform or be left behind. Congratulations to Division 5 President Martin Galvin and VP Marty Galvin and committee for a tremendous community event! Woodlawn AOH Division 5 is alive and well. Don't call it a comeback, we've been here for years!

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