Let the Irish emigrate to New York en masse
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 01:13 PM
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Niall O'Dowd reports that over 120,000 Irish people are set to flee economic conditions in Ireland.
Debbie McGoldrick reports that the United States has restricted entry of Irish people into the country, despite the long historical ties and enormous contribution made to America by Ireland's emigrants.
The Irish were given 1,637 green cards. That's down from 2,088 in 2005.
From McGoldrick's article:
"Where did all the new LPRs come from in 2009? Mexico led the way with 164,920 of its citizens, followed by China, a distant second at 64,238, and the Philippines, with 60,029. Other notables include Cuba (38,954), Haiti (24,280), Pakistan (21,555), Iran (18,553), Canada (16,410) and the United Kingdom (15,748)."
What the Irish should do is what eastern Europeans have done in Brighton Beach on the splendid southern shore of Brooklyn. They have emigrated en masse to a neighborhood in New York City. The Irish could do similarly and create a symbiotic New York neighborhood as big as any of dozens of Dominican neighborhoods around the city.
New York provides all kinds of services to new arrivals, no matter the status, and there is more work here than in Ireland.
With a big Irish neighborhood in New York of say 120,000 people--easily matched by other ethnic groups--the Irish could spur a cross-Atlantic economy between the exiled in New York, and the Irish at home. Irish food suppliers could follow Korea's example and set up groceries stores and other businesses to sell Irish products from these Irish neighborhoods in New York City.
Debbie McGoldrick reports that the United States has restricted entry of Irish people into the country, despite the long historical ties and enormous contribution made to America by Ireland's emigrants.
The Irish were given 1,637 green cards. That's down from 2,088 in 2005.
From McGoldrick's article:
"Where did all the new LPRs come from in 2009? Mexico led the way with 164,920 of its citizens, followed by China, a distant second at 64,238, and the Philippines, with 60,029. Other notables include Cuba (38,954), Haiti (24,280), Pakistan (21,555), Iran (18,553), Canada (16,410) and the United Kingdom (15,748)."
What the Irish should do is what eastern Europeans have done in Brighton Beach on the splendid southern shore of Brooklyn. They have emigrated en masse to a neighborhood in New York City. The Irish could do similarly and create a symbiotic New York neighborhood as big as any of dozens of Dominican neighborhoods around the city.
New York provides all kinds of services to new arrivals, no matter the status, and there is more work here than in Ireland.
With a big Irish neighborhood in New York of say 120,000 people--easily matched by other ethnic groups--the Irish could spur a cross-Atlantic economy between the exiled in New York, and the Irish at home. Irish food suppliers could follow Korea's example and set up groceries stores and other businesses to sell Irish products from these Irish neighborhoods in New York City.
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Conjoly | Jul 19, 2010, 08:23 AM EDT
er... lostgold which century do you think you're in? '...A nation of exiled food suppliers' !!??
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DennisQ | Jul 19, 2010, 07:40 AM EDT
There was never a time when Irish immigrants were welcome here. They came anyhow and were greeted with No Irish Need Apply signs. I don't expect anyone will be deterred that Mayor Bloomberg won't be heading up any Failte committee. Here's what's going to happen when these people come here. They are going to knock on doors to find work, and they'll find it. In fact, American employers will be pleased that they can get a day's work for a day's pay out of these unsophisticated foreigners. The real reason immigrants don't get deported is that Americans don't want them deported. Sure, the right wingers squawk about foreigners taking over our country, but they've squawked about that for centuries. Nobody really pays them any mind, and that won't change until the immigrant Irish stop giving a day's work for a day's pay. That hasn't happened in several hundred years, and it's not going to start happening now.
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Ajreaper | Jul 18, 2010, 06:05 PM EDT
So woundedknee you actually believe it's "normal" for people to just hate large groups of people they do not know? There is nothing at all normal about that, in fact it leads to very abnormal behavior and anti social behavior (suicide bombers and acts of terrorism for example). The overwhelming majority of people do not think or believe that. As to telling me what I experienced, saw or heard- please just let that be that's completely silly for you to attempt to tell me what I REALLY saw, heard or experienced.
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MaryM232 | Jul 18, 2010, 10:46 AM EDT
New York might still be subsidizing it's Mexican illegals, but it can't afford to do so much longer, the city is close to bankruptcy. The gravy train is over, and the city's Irish spongers will soon come to see that they aren't welcome, and no, it's not just a matter of shuffling off to Boston or anywhere else. I mentioned this article's premise to friends and got the word out, and the response was, well, to put it in a general manner as possible, was essentially the Irish who tried this wouldn't find much of a reception, in fact it was downright hostile and that's from the minority communities who are already at each others throats. One respondent even suggested a move to paint Ireland as racist for not opening their country up to hundreds of thousands of illegal Mexicans, and their families who could soon follow. Seriously, if Mexicans can afford to pay a coyote, they could afford one way tickets to Ireland and it's generous social services. I think that's a generally worthwhile thing to encourage, after all there aren't enough Irish to do all the jobs Mexicans would be happy to do, and for much cheaper wages as the social service programs in Ireland would subsidize them, affording them a better quality of life than in their home countries. And it would afford Ireland the diversity it so sorely lacks, and you'd have the Mexicans demanding grants to open taco dives.
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MaryM232 | Jul 18, 2010, 10:15 AM EDT
WoundedKnee, your choosing that username is disrespectful to the indigenous of the US, and illustrates how those like you treat them as little more than something cheap to exploit. As a woman who is half indigenous, you need to change to something else, preferably that would give offense to your own.
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WoundedKnee | Jul 18, 2010, 07:37 AM EDT
Ajreaper: "As to "many Irish" disliking the dispora I think that is a gross generalization- why hate a group of people you do not know" ---- Shows how naive you are, Ajreaper. You know nothing of human nature. I suspect you didn't have the antenna to pick up the snide remarks about "Yanks" (what a stupid word) that you heard but missed in ireland. It is very common for people to hate groups they don't know. And of course in the case of the irish, because they are immersed in American movies and TV shows, most of them think they know more about America than we do, even if they have never set foot outside Cahirciveen.
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Ajreaper | Jul 17, 2010, 06:33 PM EDT
Immigration brings in those who will best fit the jobs that are available- Americans can get their fair share of entry level jobs in the U.S. why leave your country to aquire the same? As to "many Irish" disliking the dispora I think that is a gross generalization- why hate a group of people you do not know? They dislike rude, obnoxious, or pushy people- I am very certain many Irish who live in areas visited often by tourist have a few horror stories to tell about such people. While in Ireland I never felt anyone ever thought poorly of me because I was an American but then again I did not treat them poorly or behave like an ass.
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WoundedKnee | Jul 17, 2010, 11:19 AM EDT
lostgold: You have a good idea there. There has been some thought in ireland of trying to attract immigration not from people who know nothing about the country and care less--say Poles, Lithuanians, Pakistanis, Nigerians etc.--but rather from people of Irish ancestry who have preserved an interest in their heritage. These could be Americans, English, Argentinians, Australians etc. But you should realize that many Irish people despise the Irish diaspora and lose no oppoprtunity to sneer at it, even while hoping that they can make a buck out of Irish-American tourists.
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AmAncINED | Jul 17, 2010, 09:30 AM EDT
Dennis Q, you're right about trying to sound like an American. We have so many different accents and can tell when someone is trying to speak American English. In the film, "From Paris With Love," any American could tell who was the native born American - Travolta or Jonathan Rhys Meyers - just by listening to them. Travolta all the way. JRM gave it a good try, "but no cigar."
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DennisQ | Jul 17, 2010, 08:02 AM EDT
Here's a piece of advice for Irish who come here illegally. Don't mimic what you think American English sounds like, thinking it will help you blend in. It won't. You might fool an odd one here and there, but most Americans will get suspicious if you mix and match pieces of different American accents. There's a big difference between how American English sounds to an American and how it sounds to an Irish person. You're better off letting your speech naturally pick up the flavor of the locality.
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GeorgeDillon | Jul 16, 2010, 09:24 PM EDT
chester.michals--you make a good point. It is much easier to settle in Ireland now if you are a Latvian, Pakistani, Russian or Indian than if you are an American. You may have Irish blood, you may have gone to the trouble to study Ireland's history and heritage, you may be a fluent Gaelic speaker, but you have less right to walk thru Immigration in Dublin than someone from Lithuania or wherever who thinks he's arriving in England.
That's why Irish Americans should not be taken in by bogus appeals for solidarity from ireland now that that country is broke.
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McNabb1966 | Jul 16, 2010, 07:32 PM EDT
The Obama administration has no interest in promoting Irish immigration to this country, nor do the Hispanics who control the issue. In fact, anytime the Irish attempt to get involved, the Hispanics begin crying about "special preference" based on "racial" bias.
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lostgold | Jul 16, 2010, 12:03 PM EDT
I think the idea of anymore Irish immigration anywhere is absurd. Its time for the Irish to start immigrating back to Ireland and reverse the population bleeding of centuries. Its time for all Irish organizations truly interested in Irelands fate to form a group similar to the Zionists in Israel to make that country come to life again and not have it be an immigration dump that exports its children on the world market while people from east Europe,Asia and Africa pour into replace them. Irelands name Erin definitely comes from a word closely related to Aryan of the Hindu Vedas and to the name Iran of that modern nation.Its time for Ireland to go back to its ancient roots and develop its naturally great harbors and not become a nation of exiled food suppliers headquartered in New York. A nation of exiled food suppliers til they intermarry with other stocks both abroad and at home and cease to be a people at all.
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chester.michals | Jul 16, 2010, 11:58 AM EDT
i think that all irish should stick together. and should settle and make there own neighborhoods all across the usa. furhter more for any american irish who wish a second home in ireland or to move to ireland should be easier than it is preasently.the irish federal government is to strict on visa requirements educational requirements. if your irish american your irish catagorie.if you wish to return to the old countrie of your ancestors you should be able to. futher more the us citizens should have presidents as good or better than european union countries.why, i'll anser my own question the political achievements of irish americans.concerning the troubles in the past the peace process itself. and lets not forget the blood contubution on both sides of things irish.the ties are there lets keep them in the usa. neiborhoods and for gods sake lets keep the american irish comming back to ireland. the natives need to partner up with the american irish. let us immigrate back if nessicary. thanks for your taking the time to listen. sincerly chester e. michals jr.
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