Thursday, June 28, 2007

Statement from Dermot Ahern re Senate Bill

Expressing his deep disappointment at today's developments in the US Senate on the issue of immigration reform, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern T.D., said:

"I greatly regret that the courageous efforts of many members of the US Senate to achieve support for a wide ranging, cross-party bill on immigration reform, has not been successful in attracting the necessary level of support to ensure its progress.

"I appreciate the determined efforts of those Republican and Democratic Senators and of President Bush to achieve a bipartisan agreement on this important matter. I would echo the sentiments of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham today in the Senate when he said "you cannot wish away 12 million people" and those of a great friend of Ireland, Senator Ted Kennedy, who in his address in the Senate said "that the Senate resume its belief in the American dream….will we vote on our fears or for the future?

"I have asked our Ambassador in Washington to provide a full assessment of the situation we now face so that we can review how our efforts can best be brought forward for the benefit of our undocumented in the US.

"In addition, we will maintain our engagement with key Members of the US Congress and I have already been in contact with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform which provides an effective voice for the Irish undocumented throughout the US.

"The Government is fully committed to responding to the concerns of the undocumented Irish and will continue to take every opportunity to convey to US political leaders the urgent need to address this major issue, which impacts directly on many families in Ireland. The Government will continue to support our citizens in the United States who find themselves in this difficult situation

"This set-back will not diminish our determination to secure the fair deal for the undocumented Irish and their families."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brownback spoke at the ILIR rally last year, but voted against us.

FROM YES TO NOHere are the 18 senators who switched their votes between Tuesday and Thursday on the immigration bill:

• Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-New Mexico
• Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Missouri
• Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio
• Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas
• Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina
• Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota
• Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
• Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico
• Sen. John Ensign, R-Nevada
• Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa
• Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky
• Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
• Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas
• Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska
• Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio
• Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia
• Sen. James Webb, D-Virginia

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Talks cheap Mr Ahern, LET SEE SOME ACTION!

Anonymous said...

Do none of you "undocumented", as you term it, take responsibility for BREAKING THE LAW!!?!? You are "undocumented" because you CHOSE to stay in this country past your legal dates of entry. Would not your home country of Ireland treat ME the same way if I broke the laws of immigration there? Apparently, you believe our laws are frivolous and meant for breaking—hang the law.

To go on boo-hooing about how sad it is that you can not go back to see your families in Ireland because they will not let you back into America is a baby's cry. You are telling the world you are all pathetic victims--you take NO responsibility for yourselves and your ILLEGAL actions, but instead blame your situation on others. How selfish!

I used to think highly of the Irish--I thought you had grit, but fought with responsibility for your actions. You're continuing to show the world you are crybabies and irresponsible lawbreakers. Are you proud of the fact that most of the LEGAL and BORN Americans see you for what you are? Lawbreakers and whiners. By the tens of articles in the Irish Voice week after week, I can see you ARE proud of your shiftiness.

I have no sympathy for the so-called "undocumented". I will continue to fight illegal aliens from gaining amnesty to my last breath. Don't think for one minute we LEGAL Americans are duped by your cries for sympathy. We proved that in the vote last Thursday. The Senate saw the true light of what amnesty means for this country’s national security.

Shame on you for your petulance and greedy, childish self-indulgence. If you REALLY loved this country as much as you claim, then you would understand how this amnesty and subsequent law change would absolutely kill the US ability to defend against further attacks from within. Shame on you for not thinking of anyone but yourselves!


Signed,
A LEGAL US citizen in Oregon.

Anonymous said...

Lets hope your last breath comes sooner than later!

Anonymous said...

Well all i have to say to that is im going to do what you said leave.And like the rest of the world im going to leave usa behind because that is whats happening. This country is afrade of change as the rest of the world booms on. bye bye yanky. hope you all have a nice day in oregon