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Successful Irish immigration meetings in Cleveland, Ohio

ILIR enlist support for Senator Charles Schumer’s Irish E3 visa bill

JANE WALSH,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, January 28, 2012, 3:33 PM

Updated Saturday, January 28, 2012, 3:33 PM

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Senator Charles Schumer photographed with President of ILIR Ciaran Staunton

Despite heavy snowfall on Thursday, 19th January, over 400 people attended a meeting at the West Side Irish American Club, Greater Cleveland’s to meet the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR).

ILIR visited Ohio to enlist support for the current Irish E3 Visa Bill (Senate Bill 1983). The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Schumer.

The lobbyist group was also enlisting support within the Irish American community to persuade U.S. Senator Rob Portman to support S1983.

Speaking at Cleveland’s largest and oldest Irish club Ciaran Staunton, President of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, explained that neither the 400 Irish present nor their ancestors could have immigrated from Ireland to the USA under the current immigration law.

Many of those in attendance had immigrated to Ohio before the 1965 Immigration Act was passed.

While in Cleveland ILIR engaged in a series of public and private meetings with Irish American organizations and leaders in the Northern Ohio area. Among those pledging support were: Cleveland City Council President, Martin Sweeney, Members of the Ohio AOH, including past Ohio AOH President Roger Weist and current AOH National Director, Danny O’ Connell as well as members of the GAA and other community groups.

A crucial meeting took place on Friday between Senator Portman’s Ohio staff and leaders of the Irish American Ohio community to lobby for support of the Irish E3 visa and to advise Senator Portman on their position regarding the importance of this issue to their community.

Clevland Irish leader, Attorney John Myers stated that the “The Irish American Community is mobilized in it’s support for Senate Bill 1983 and understands the importance of Senator Portman’s support in getting to the magic “60” in the U.S. Senate.”

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paddyRanger | Jan 31, 2012, 11:14 AM EST

Curitiba ...........Just because I don't want US Passport, does not mean I can not express my opinion, who the hell do you think you are the "thought Police", what I need your permission to say my opinion. My opinion is this fool having "Irish Citizenship" when he clearly states HIS country is the US is the issue, so why don't you mind your own F business .....

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Curitiba | Jan 30, 2012, 04:36 PM EST

Then what has this debate got to do with you if you are not planning to leave Ireland, paddyranger? Why should you care if he is writing to his senator or not if you don't want to emigrate to America? If his letter persuaded his senator to block Irish immigration to the US, then it doesn't matter to you does it?

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paddyRanger | Jan 30, 2012, 12:36 PM EST

Curitiba, I have made zero reference to my wanting a US passport, I have never had and never will want a US passport, so I have no idea what you are referring to, where you got that from, either you misread or read someone else's post or just plain invented it, I can not be a hypocrite over something I have never said. So are we straight I am not American, do not have a US passport and absolutely no desire to have one, got it.....

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paddyRanger | Jan 30, 2012, 10:08 AM EST

Curitiba .........where have I said anything about me wanting a US passport, stop inventing things I have never expressed a wish for a US passport and NEVER will, So NO I don't want him to roll over to let me have an American one, where do you get that from>?

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IrelandNorth | Jan 30, 2012, 07:18 AM EST

GeorgeDillon/Seoirse O'Dillein! Like boherlihy, I find your post intemperate, for an alleged Irish citizen. Please edit more adeptly. Is dual citizenship not precluded by the Oath of Allegience. You refer to being an Irish citizen, yet refer somewhat possessively to your country as the USA. Conflict of interests, perhaps. Have you though about deserting to the Afghani Army?

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Curitiba | Jan 29, 2012, 06:28 PM EST

paddyranger-you don't want George to have an Irish passport, but you want him to roll over and give you an American one? Bit hypocritical of you, isn't it?

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bonjouryall | Jan 29, 2012, 11:06 AM EST

Best of luck to Sen. Shumer and these efforts! I would love to increase the number involved. I also realize that with the dismal economy, getting this bill passed with the present number will be a tremendous success.

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Murph46 | Jan 29, 2012, 10:53 AM EST

I chuckle at some of you-Georgie is a curmudgeon who doesn't have anything better to do than stir the pot to agitate you(I'll even admit to doing similar things at times)the way to stop the Georgies is to NOT RESPOND ,because every time you do you play his game!

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paddyRanger | Jan 29, 2012, 10:29 AM EST

Ah the racist rat georgieboydillon rears his ugly head out of the sewer ......."I oppose special sweetheart deals for those Irish who want to desert their country and settle in mine. Let them fix their own homeland, and not run like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship. As an Irish citizen I'll be writing" ..........anyone else see the stinking hypocrisy from this moron, "Settle in my homeland, he is an American, yet he thinks he can talk about Irish issues because he is an American with Irish Citizenship.......Biggest mistake (if it is even true) was giving this American creep an Irish passport, and even if he does have one, does not make him Irish at all, my cat is more Irish than this gobshite

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Murph46 | Jan 29, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

I live just south of Cleveland and have no problem with such meetings,the jump from Schumer to Portman is I find extraordinary but nonetheless with the backing of such groups I feel it is fine.I hope it all works out.

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GeorgeDillon | Jan 29, 2012, 08:12 AM EST

boherlihy: I don't know why you bothered to post the same note twice. Mediocrity repeated is mediocrity doubled. But it seems you are claiming the right to emigrate to the US on the basis of family reunion regulations (the other grounds you mention, that you lived here previously, have no bearing). If you fall within the family reunion stipulations why would you need special treatment? You already qualify!

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boherlihy | Jan 28, 2012, 11:45 PM EST

To GeorgeDillon: your post is factually incorrect and personally insulting. If you wish for anybody (including Senator Schumer)to take your opinions seriously, then I suggest you state them with at least some degree of truth and objectivity. For example - do not, I repeat, do not paint everybody with the same brush. We Irish who want to emigrate to the United States are not running "like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship". Case in point... those of us (myself included) who have family that have legally settled in the United States and wish to join them; and/or those of us (myself included) who have lived in the United States (legally) before that wish to return.

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boherlihy | Jan 28, 2012, 11:19 PM EST

To GeorgeDillon: Your comment is factually incorrect and personally insulting. If you want anybody to take your opinions seriously and objectively, then you should not paint everybody with the same brush. We Irish who want to emigrate to the United States are not running "like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship". Case in point... those of us (myself included) who have legalized family in the United States and wish to join them; or those of us (myself included) who have lived in the United States (legally) who wish to return to the United States?

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GeorgeDillon | Jan 28, 2012, 03:41 PM EST

I oppose special sweetheart deals for those Irish who want to desert their country and settle in mine. Let them fix their own homeland, and not run like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship. As an Irish citizen I'll be writing to Senator Schumer to tell him to cut out this foolishness. He's only wasting his time on this nonsense.

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