The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) is holding a public meeting at Rory Dolan’s in Yonkers on Wednesday, May 6 to launch the organization’s 2009 campaign for visa reform for the estimated 50,000 Irish undocumented believed to be living in the United States.

The ILIR, which was formed in December 2005 to represent the undocumented Irish community, is gearing up for a new push for immigration reform in the 2009-2010 congressional session.

Senator Charles Schumer has in the past attended numerous ILIR meetings and rallies.

“The senator has attended a variety of immigration rallies from a variety of groups. And each of them have played a role in forming his opinion on this,” said his New York chief of staff Martin Brennan.

“And the ILIR rallies in particular were important to him because one it shows the human face of the issue. It shows the need that exists and the desire to come and forge a solution, and the energy and enthusiasm and hope and optimism. These represent the best of what immigration is in America,” he said.

“Those rallies not only inform his opinion but they energize his desire to forge a solution.”

Former Congressman Bruce Morrison, a key advisor to ILIR, will address the meeting in Yonkers.

New ILIR chairman Bart Murphy and president Ciaran Staunton have held several recent meetings with key members of Congress and Irish officials and ministers.  Staunton also met with Schumer last week to discuss policy.

In addition to a discussion of where it feels the comprehensive immigration reform debate will go, ILIR will outline the Irish E-3 visa proposal it is seeking to have passed in Congress at the meeting. 

Similar to the Australian/U.S. proposal passed in 2005, the Irish E-3 would provide for 10,500 work visas per annum from Ireland to the US. 

The ILIR proposal would be the first solution for significant, long-term and sustainable migration from Ireland to the U.S. for over 45 years. 

Significantly, and in light of the current economic crisis in Ireland, the ILIR E3 visa proposal has the backing and support of the Irish government.

The ILIR meeting will take place at Rory Dolan's, 890 McLean Avenue in Yonkers, at 7:30 p.m. For more information call 718-598-7530 or e-mail info@irishlobbyusa.org