Here is our annual two-part summer feature on the questions U.S. naturalization candidates can be asked during a citizenship interview, as provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Here are the first 50, with answers – next week's column will have the remaining 50 questions and answers.

On a visit to Mexico on Monday, President Barack Obama told reporters that immigration reform would have to wait until next year, although movement will begin on the contentious issue in fall.

If New York Senator Charles Schumer has anything to do with it, the estimated 50,000 Irish undocumented in the U.S. will have an immigration bill to look forward to by the end of this year or early next.

There is new hope for the thousands of undocumented Irish in the U.S. with the news that Senator Charles Schumer intends to have a comprehensive immigration reform bill ready by Labor Day. Schumer (D-NY), who replaced Senator Edward Kennedy as the chair of the immigration sub-committee, is steering an immigration overhaul through the Senate. "I think we'll have a good bill by Labor Day," said Schumer, D-N.Y. "I think the fundamental building blocks are in place to do comprehensive immigration reform."

Hope springs anew in the never-ending battle to win comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. The latest development saw President Barack Obama finally convene a top-level meeting of congressional leaders and key staffers to discuss how the issue might move ahead.

One race Peter King will not be undertaking is a Senate challenge to Kirsten Gillibrand. Like many others, he has been frightened away by the $40 million or so that Gillibrand is alleged to be raising for her election campaign next year.

Senator Charles Schumer, [D-N.Y.] wants the government to stand up and be counted on illegal immigration into the United States.

THERE was standing room only at Rory Dolan’s Irish restaurant in Yonkers on Wednesday, May 6, at an immigration meeting hosted by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. “There’s nothing going on in Ireland anymore. There are no jobs,” said Alan, 25, a native of Co. Limerick who has been working in New York for the past four months. “They say things are bad here, but I’ve still managed to find construction work. Not a hope of that in Ireland. There will be plenty more Irish coming over here very soon because it’s so bad. I hope ILIR is able to do something for them, and me.”

The decision by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter to change parties from the GOP to the Democrats bodes well for immigration reform, especially if the move provides a filibuster proof majority on the Democratic bill in the senate.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York has never lacked the stomach for a fight, but this time he has picked himself a doozy.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York will hold the first hearing on the issue of immigration reform on Thursday, April 30 in Washington, D.C.

Thanks to you, IrishCentral.com had the happiest St. Patrick’s Day we could have

The appointment of New York Senator Charles Schumer to head the Senate's immigration subcommittee is a major step in the right direction for immigration reform. Though he takes over from Senator Edward Kennedy, who will be a hard act to follow, Schumer has shown an amazing ability to deliver on issues that he cares deeply about. Immigration reform is clearly one of those issues.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen came, saw and conquered at the launch of Irishcentral.com last

  New York's Senator Charles Schumer is the new chairman of the Senate Immigration-Sub

FOLLOWING is our annual two-part summer feature on the questions U.S. naturalization candidates can be asked during a citizenship interview, as provided by the U.

Here are 50 of the questions that U.S. naturalization candidates can be asked during a citizenship interview, as provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Newly appointed New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has a very poor record on immigration issues, a fact which will not endear her to many Irish activists. Gillibrand has Irish (Noonan) roots on her mother's side and is married to an English immigrant. Gillibrand has already been attacked by Latino groups for her anti-immigrant stance, and it could prove very problematic for her in a contested Democratic primary in two years.

IN response to the outrage within the Irish community over comments made by Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern claiming Irish undocumented are seeking an "amnesty" deal, the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) has requested a meeting with Ahern during his visit next month to the U.S. where he will address a joint session of Congress.

IRISH American supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton are hoping that Senator Barack Obama will place her on the ticket, and they want to see a far greater outreach to the Irish American community by Obama. In a widely reported move on Tuesday, Clinton told New York lawmakers that she is open to being Obama's running mate.Former Democratic Congressman Bruce Morrison, a long-time supporter of the Clintons told the Irish Voice, "Well it's never over till it's over, but obviously it's very close to being over.

A DRAMATIC intervention by New York Senator Charles Schumer has allowed a nine-year-old Irish undocumented girl to have vital cancer surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York.The family of the young Irish girl with cancer was recently told by her insurance company that they could no longer keep her on the policy because she didn't have a valid Social Security number. However, a call from the parents to the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) resulted in an immediate outreach to the office of Schumer, who has been steadfast in his support of the Irish undocumented.

The decision by Caroline Kennedy to seek the New York Senate seat held currently by Hillary Clinton marks a new era for the Kennedy clan.

With uncle Senator Edward Kennedy clearly ailing, the Kennedy family clearly believes the torch should pass to Caroline, the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy.

Ireland Left Out In Visas

THE annual list of successful applicants for the Schumer DV-1 diversity visas was released again this week, and it makes hard reading for anyone Irish and undocumented.

The Schumer diversity visas called after Senator Chuck Schumer from New York who created the scheme was an Irish American initiative back in the early 1990s after the death of the Morrison and Donnelly visa programs. The idea was that a percentage of visas would go to countries that currently have no access to America.

Weiner's Irish Trip

AN interested visitor to Ireland this past week was New York Congressman Anthony Weiner, who spent a week or so traveling around the Emerald Isle and meeting with various government leaders.

Weiner, of course, is a major contender for New York City mayor in 2009 and may well be the Democratic front-runner at this point, though no doubt City Council President Christine Quinn may have a thing or two to say about that.

Weiner ran a close race the last time in the Democratic primary and narrowly missed being the contender.

The move to make Caroline Kennedy the new senator from New York seems sure to meet with stiff resistance from two of the major players involved, outgoing Senator Hillary Clinton and current senior Senator Chuck Schumer.

Kennedy has powerful supporters, most notably her uncle, Senator Edward Kennedy, as well as her cousin Robert Kennedy Junior. This is a family which knows how to get things done, the recent renaming of New York's Triboro Bridge as the Robert F.

The incredible push for Caroline Kennedy to become the next senator from New York has to be seen to be believed.

Last week it seemed that many of the stalwarts of New York politics were going to oppose her and create opportunities for themselves or candidates they backed.

This week, with The New York Times leading the way, the New York establishment has begun falling into line - and then some.

The race to succeed Hillary Clinton as New York junior senator has already attracted a cast that includes every major Democratic politician in the state. Among them is Congressman Joe Crowley from Queens, who brings to the table a formidable array of advantages. Governor David Paterson will make the appointment with a clear eye on the 2010 governor's race when he may face a tough Republican opponent such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The House of Representatives passed a $410 billion Omnibus Appropriations Bill on Wednesday, February 25 for the 2009 fiscal year, which includes allocation of $285,000 for a Father Mychal Judge Center for Irish Exchange and Understanding at