IrishCentral Irish Immigrations - b5cc3275d518416eacb61d676e8d84d1

Irish immigration watchdog issues guidelines for J-1 students coming to the U.S. (IrishCentral)

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:23:49 PDT

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

As droves of fresh faced Irish students touchdown on U.S. soil eager to experience a slice of American life this summer, the coalition of Irish Immigration Centers (CIIC) has issued a guide for J-1 students.

Two Republican senators fail to strip Irish provision from immigration bill (IrishCentral)

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:16:04 PDT

By: NIALL O'DOWD

Two Republican senators made a major effort to strip 10,500 visas for Irish from the 2013 immigration bill at the Senate Judiciary hearings on Tuesday.

Immigration processing times (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:48:55 PDT

Q: I’m planning to file an application with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to adjust my status to that of legal permanent resident, based on my marriage to a US citizen I understand that this can take a long time, and I heard that there is a way to pay a special fee to get an application on the fast track Is this true?A: Currently USCIS offers what it calls “premium processing” for a $1225 fee only with regard to certain employment-based visa petitions Other applications, such as those to adjust immigration status based on certain family relationships, are processed on a first-come, first-served basis READ MORE

Irish Pastoral Centre Immigration News (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:48:54 PDT

Clinic updateWe had 15 people present on complex immigration issues at last week’s legal clinic Our thanks to Chris Lavery and Dan Harrington for their expert advice to those present and to our regular volunteers Neil and Sheila Our next clinic is on June 4th at 630pmVisa to come and spend time with ill relativeI had a sad call recently from an Irish person who wanted to come to the US for an extended trip so he could stay with and provide comfort to a close relative who was stricken with cancer READ MORE

Massachusetts Stands Strong for Immigration Reform (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:33:53 PDT

On Friday, May 10, the Irish International Immigrant Center stood alongside leaders of government, business, labor and faith communities to re-affirm the conviction that Congress should pass immigration reform now to strengthen the safety and further the prosperity of all AmericansHeld the day after markup began of the historic, bipartisan immigration reform bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee, the press conference reaffirmed the support of local government, business, labor, and community leaders at a time of public uncertainty in the wake of the tragic and heinous Boston Marathon bombings The press conference stressed the urgency of continuing to move forward with reform, so that families will no longer be needlessly torn apartThe Greater Boston Citizenship Initiative works in partnership with: the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Centro Latino, Irish International Immigrant Center, Jewish Vocational Services, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers and MIRA coalition READ MORE

A Wonderful Afternoon at the 19th Annual Black and Green Event (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:33:53 PDT

From left to right: Vivian Deleon, Father John McCarthy, Councilor Charles Yancey, Janice Galloway, Dr Lorna Rinear, Renata TeodoroOn Sunday, May 5th the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC) along with the Montserrat Aspirers, Inc (MAI) celebrated their 19th Annual Black & Green The event was held at its signature location, the Montserrat Aspirers Hall on Washington St, Dorchester READ MORE

Irish passengers permitted to use self-service immigration border control - could the U.S. be next? (IrishCentral)

Sat, 11 May 2013 06:43:15 PDT

By: IRISHCENTRAL STAFF WRITERS

Airline passengers from Ireland and other EU member countries will be permitted to use a self-check immigration in a new trial border control system.

IIIC welcomes Sarah Chapple-Sokol as their new Education Coordinator (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 02:33:37 PDT

Sarah Chapple-SokolSarah Chapple-Sokol, a native of Arlington MA, has recently joined the IIIC as the new Education Coordinator Sarah is a graduate of Colby College, in Maine, where as an undergraduate she studied Anthropology and Music She then continued her education and went onto study a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Relations at Lesley University, Cambridge MAHaving grown up in Arlington, New York and outside Burlington, Vermont, Sarah is a seasoned traveller READ MORE

Clanrye Wider Horizons celebrates their Graduation (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 02:33:36 PDT

It was a full house at the IIIC!The past six weeks have flown by for the first Wider Horizons group from Clanrye to arrive this year, and last night they marked the end of their time in Boston The completion of the overseas phase of their program was celebrated, as always, by a great graduation celebration at the IIIC The night included some great highlights with Chris McKevitt entertaining graduates and their guests with his guitar and singing skills while Jonjo Moore added a terrific reading of a personally composed poem to the evening’s entertainmentWe would like to express a great deal of gratitude to all of the host families for opening up their homes and to all of the employers who gave these young adults the chance to work in their organizations READ MORE

Wider Horizons Profile: Tara Hillman (IrishCentral)

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:03:23 PDT

Tara Hillman “I ordered a large, and it came back three sizes bigger than I thought it would!” Tara Hillman excitedly jokes, as she tells me about her recent discovery of popular sugary drinks, Slushies The Slushie is just one of many new discoveries for the West Belfast native, who is working in Boston for six weeks as a part of the Springboard Wider Horizons programThe Wider Horizons Program brings young adults between the ages of 18 and 28 to Boston and places them in community service internships The program fosters mutual understanding and reconciliation between Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland READ MORE

Hope and Healing Celebration for Families in South Boston (IrishCentral)

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:33:24 PDT

I was delighted to be invited to a wonderful evening with South Boston's community leaders and neighbors in the Laboure Center this past Tuesday, April 23rd The topic was "A Celebration of Hope and Healing for families affected by substance abuse" We watched a powerful video and had a wonderful, hopeful discussion about how the vulnerable children and families of South Boston need a voice now more than ever before According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, approximately 1 in 4 children in the US are exposed to family alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence READ MORE

Immigration is not the problem - history of anti-Irish behavior reflecting on the Chechnyan bombs in Boston (IrishCentral)

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:18:26 PDT

Senator Patrick LeahyThey came from a foreign land with deep religious convictions They had ties to people willing to use violence to achieve political endsThey felt alienated in America and were ultimately accused of committing heinous acts of terrorism, undoubtedly influenced by events in their native land READ MORE

Come Celebrate with Sr. Lena Deevy and the Irish International Immigrant Center (IrishCentral)

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:48:22 PDT

As Sister Lena Deevy steps down after 24 years of leadership of the IIIC, the Irish International Immigrant Center invites all friends, former staff and volunteers to celebrate the invaluable contribution that she has made to the immigrant community in the Greater Boston areaOn the evening of Friday, May 3rd, a party will be held at Florian Hall in Dorchester to mark the occasion of Sr Lena’s transition Since the Center’s inception in 1989, she has worked tirelessly to better the lives of immigrants from Ireland and from across the world READ MORE

Irish International Immigrant Center Welcomes Media Trainees On Marathon Monday (IrishCentral)

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:48:21 PDT

Last week, on Marathon Monday, the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC) welcomed the Tyrone-Donegal Partnership (TDP) Wider Horizons group of twenty young men and women in the midst of the chaos of last week’s bomb explosions The group arrived in our downtown Boston Center an hour before the incident IIIC and TDP staff and local host families provided a warm, home-away-from-home welcomeThese passionate young people will be working in non-profit volunteer internships for the next six weeks, spanning all of the Greater Boston area READ MORE

Immigration scam advice (IrishCentral)

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:48:21 PDT

Q: I hear that there are a number of scams being practiced on immigrants in the US How can they protect themselves?A: There are indeed many immigration scams, with new ones appearing all the time The latest one to come to our attention involves a telephone call to an immigrant from someone claiming to be from US Citizenship and Immigration Services The caller claims that there is some discrepancy in the agency’s information on the immigrant, and that there is a penalty that must be paid to clear it up READ MORE

Terrorist shootout took place next door to Irish immigrant’s home in Watertown (IrishCentral)

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 04:29:46 PDT

By: PATRICK COUNIHAN

The home of an Irish immigrant, Brendan Toye 33, was next door to where terrorist suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19 was hiding on a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Irish American leaders see legalization of 50,000 Irish in new Immigration bill (IrishCentral)

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:48:28 PDT

By: JAMES O'SHEA

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform has welcomed Wednesday’s introduction of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, S.744 by the ‘Gang of 8’ in the US Senate and fully expect an estimated 50,000 Irish undocumented to benefit if it becomes law.

Irish government praises ‘Gang of Eight’ bipartisan Senate immigration reform legislation (IrishCentral)

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:28:30 PDT

By: KERRY O’SHEA

The bipartisan Senate panel on immigration reform, nicknamed the ‘Gang of Eight,’ has put forth their proposals for immigration reform. The Irish government, who will see many of its citizens affected by the potential reforms, praised the panel’s proposals.

Boston terror bombing shows glaring need to secure our borders (IrishCentral)

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:33:07 PDT

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Not so fast Washington, Americans want bills on guns and immigration read before you vote on them (IrishCentral)

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:03:00 PDT