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TÁNAISTE AND MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore has been telephoning senior US politicians to push hard for a deal on illegal Irish migrants in America.
Gilmore said the signs that both the Republican and Democratic parties support some kind of immigration reform, coupled with several speeches by Obama on the issue, are “encouraging” – but that no firm proposals have yet been put forward.
The Government plans to use St Patrick’s Day visits by TDs travelling abroad to increase pressure for a deal by meeting with key politicians and lobby groups.
Although the exact figure is unknown, there are believed to be up to 50,000 Irish people living and working illegally in the United States without a visa, meaning they cannot hold documentation or return to the country if they leave.
A deal offering some kind of path to legalisation of their status for the tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants has become more likely in recent weeks after Barack Obama used his inauguration speech to signal that immigration reform was a priority for his second term. Discussions are on going in the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Former US presidential candidate John McCain, who is part of a bipartisan group of politicians spearheading the effort to reform America’s complex immigration laws, is due to meet with President Obama on Tuesday and has said he is “guardedly optimistic” that there could be a deal by the end of March.
There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Responding to a question in the Dáil, Eamon Gilmore said undocumented Irish workers will be a “critical element of the Government’s engagement with the US authorities, including over the forthcoming St Patrick’s Day period”.
My programme and that of other members of the Government during that period… will include discussions with key political figures on immigration and with the Irish community groups that provide assistance to the undocumented.
“I am currently engaged in a round of telephone discussions with key US Senators to discuss prospects for progress and to underline our ongoing interest in the issue,” he said.
The Tánaiste raised the issue with Hillary Clinton during her visit to Ireland in December in one of her last trips as Secretary of State.
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He should have spent as much time supporting the undocumented before they left Ireland, maybe trying to keep them in Ireland
That’s right pierce, because the whole economic crisis is his fault!!
Gary — He continued the previous regimes vicious Thatcherite policies, so he is certainly partly to blame.
Disgraceful if there illegal kick them out. Had enough of this crap. The government should not be condoning illegal actions.
Maybe they could send them to Australia
The undocumented over there are not bloody criminals. Mostly very hard working people who wanted to get out of this kip.
itiswhatitis you are a disgrace for a human being and any body who told you to be your self gave you bad advise now find a rock ans crawl back under it now.
You’d swear America wasnt a country of immigrants
@Philip- there’s an airport out in Swords, there. If you don’t like this “kip” feel free to leave. I’ll throw in the taxi fare.
You could be out a lot of money there Vincent.
How can Obama give a deal on Irish immigrants. Any deal would have to encapsulate everyone including illegal Mexicans etc.
He should be using his time in the states to push trade agreements; not the illegal behaviour of irish economic migrants.
He’s making more space for our young people, ireland will be one big retirement home
So the Irish government is pushing for the illegal Irish status in the US to be considered – while in Ireland ; there are only about 5,000 Asylum Seekers rotting in the deplorable provision accommodation system run by the government and their contractors. How rich.
That’s the new band of work force in those camps
Sure we have about half of Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia etc here now all with medical cards and generous social welfare allowances. We can’t take on the problems of the world, especially since we are a small country that is financially broke.
You’re reading too much the Sun and Mirror newspapers Joe.
I think it’s from spending some time working in parts of Dublin. At times I thought I was working in Lagos.
So who else is on your hit list Joe? Travellers, gay people, culchies, Polish, nordies … ??? Glad I’m not living next door to you!
Nothing wrong with gay people, culchies, Polish or nordies.
Joe is clearly a miserable racist.
I have to laugh. If a foreign minister of another country here was pressuring our government to legalise the illegal immigrants from his country. I could only imagine the comments. If you want to go to America do it legally.
Where are our glorious leaders fooking off to this paddys day?
i was in a bar in america once and the bar tender was irish he had been in america over 30 years since the age of 15 and was an illegal. i asked why not go home he said it was better to be a bum in the united states than a bum in the free state. his words not mine.
Has hasnt telephoned anyone for godsake.
Ahh now he has…
#1800 who’s your sexy toeaseach
:D
it is sad to know that some people would prefer to be illegal and be hiding in a foreign country than to come back home. Isn’ t he suppose to be convincing them to come back instead?
Lets not cod ourselves into thinking Gimmemore is securing a better life for irish illegals.
The worst thing that could happen is that these people would ever come back here, filled with bitter memories of emigration – they would hardly be supporting the insider-propping crowd that is FF-FG. Pressure valve permanent migration has suited the anti-irish neo-liberal government here for decades.
He would be better off phoning companies abroad to get them to come here then trying to undermine a key trade partner and ally by supporting the legalising of tens of millions of illegal immigrants.
I hope all the people who voted for the Looper party are ashamed of themselves. I certainly am at least for given a FG candidate a #3 preference.
Well paddys day is looming so ni doubt a memo from govt probably already means we should expect various bits of PR and spin along the lines of ” we can’t be seen to just bugger off to the states and various other parts if the world on a jolly so best get spinning about illegal Irish , jobs , investment ,trade missions , representations , the gathering or any other shred of a story that creates an impression that this time it’s different , do not….. repeat do not …..get caught looking like your a politician on a junket….Phil hogan and James Reilly swinging Guinness in the Whitehouse is not the impression we want lads so best behaviour ok ;)
you only have to take a drive to mosney to see how our goverment look after immigrants, some have been there years with no change in status.
Yes. And you’ll hear people calling them some choice things, ‘undocumented’ not being one of them in general.
When it’s Irish in American we call them ‘undocumented’. What do we call non-Irish working in Ireland illegally again?
gilmore wants to use patricks day so he can get a holiday on taxpayers again
Gilmore telephones US senators and left a message
I wonder if there is a spot for Gilmore there or would they not tolerate him giving their money
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