UNDOCUMENTED IRISH immigrants are "largely removed and marginalised" from positive developments in the relationship between Ireland and the United States, President Mary McAleese told an audience in San Francisco last night.
In a plea for greater understanding for their predicament, Mrs McAleese said it was important that efforts continue to reach an agreement to regularise the status of the undocumented.
"I am deeply conscious that there are many within the Irish community in this city who are caught in this situation. So many of the undocumented Irish have lived in the US for many years and, like generations of previous Irish emigrants, they work hard, raise families and make an important contribution to the economic and social life of their communities," she said. "And yet, they live in the shadows of society with fear and uncertainty as their constant companions. Most, we know, also suffer greatly from the pain of not being able to travel to and from Ireland because of the difficulties of re-entry."
Speaking at San Francisco's Irish Immigration and Pastoral Centre on the second day of a week-long visit to the US, Mrs McAleese said many undocumented Irish immigrants came to the US before the 9/11 attacks prompted tighter border restrictions.
"Meanwhile they got jobs, met partners, got married, raised families and put down roots in an adopted homeland that they had grown to love dearly," she said.
"Some very committed people have championed their cause and the Irish Government has used every possible opportunity to advocate on their behalf and will continue to do so. Efforts are also ongoing to reform our own wider migration arrangements with the United States in a way that complements the modern nature of our relationship."
Earlier yesterday, Mrs McAleese addressed a breakfast for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs hosted at Stanford University by Enterprise Ireland before inaugurating new GAA playing fields on Treasure Island. The President acknowledged that her message to American audiences has changed to take account of the economic difficulties faced by both Ireland and the US.
"We have come through a very difficult period and we're heading into a very difficult period. But we've also come out of an extraordinary time, a time when the whole of Irish fortunes were turned around, when we told a story about ourselves that we never thought possible," she said.
18 comments:
"The Irish government has used every possible opportunity to advocate on their behalf" (what a joke)
Tell the truth what happened when Bertie Ahern/Fianna Fail was in Washington last Feburary/March.
Bertie is a very bad person for what he done to the 50,000 Irish undocument in the US and the Fianna Fail/ Irish government has to fix a terrible wrong
The Irish goverment dose not give one ? about the undocumented in America. The truth is they belive they are a disscrase to Ireland. You will have to work together and dont expect any help from them just look at this one year viasa rubbish coming in ,this is only going to make the problem worse
Steven Cox
Well it is about time she's advocating for us pity it took her so long she should have done that two years ago in New York.Too little to late!!!!!!And yes I agree with anonoymous what did Bertie and Co do in washington last year ?????
Bertie done what he always done, he looked out for himself and ? the rest of us. What did he say? O yes, we sit around bars talking nonsense we should go home and enjoy St Patricks day next year in Ireland,(Yeah right great leadership).
He should have done what he was supposed to do.
It is up to Brian Cowen and the rest of the party to fix the past mistakes. We need to see results, we need better representation from the Irish Gov.
We are fed up with the false promises.
Get your family to write to B.Cowens office and explain how it feels to have another X.Mas without their Son,Daughter etc.
Brain Cowen was part of this goverment that came out with this 1 year rubbish,you have to wake up about the fools who run the show in Ireland
Bertie Ahern is perhaps one of the greatest Taoiseach in Irish history, serving longer than all save deValera. His accomplishments include bringing an end to the Troubles, and presiding over the rise of the economic success of the Celtic Tiger.
Meanwhile, what have you accomplished? Maybe you fellows are "just sitting in bars talking".
No Hard Tack, it is someone like you that sits around talking and blogging ****. Go and read a history book. Ahern went in for the photo op at the end. The real work was done years before by S.F, J.Hume,UUP,Ian Paisley.
The only reason he was in office so long people in Ireland Irish were lead to belive the Celtic tiger(what a joke) was there to stay. If he was still in office now, he would be getting the same abuse as Brian Cowen and even worse. People would see the true Bertie....
I took Berties advice and came home to Ireland march 12 2008 .I have been unemployed since the day i landed ,this country is going into ression over 2 years now. The banking system brake down has dragged the whole of world, up on till that Ireland was sinking on its own. Any one who brought this up was called a trator or nay sayer.I am not intiteled to welfare because i lived out side the E U for over 5 years the Irish goverment considers me a non natonial as they say here.I must be back living in Ireland 18 months to get my rights as an Irish person back .Thanks Bertie your were great for the country
Liam
Bertie sucked Ireland dry.
Left the people of Ireland with a very bad economy.
But before jumping ship (like all rat's do) he came over to America destroyed most if not all the good work the Irish people, Bruce Morrison and the ILIR done.
The Irish government has to step up and help the Irish undocumented living in America.
There is a lot of people at home in Ireland missing there loved ones this Christmas again.
Hard Tack the truth will all come out about Bertie Ahern in the long run.
Taoiseach Brain Cowen has to be a man and sort this mess out.
Hard tack i can tell your not one of the undocumented living in the US and i can also tell that your a fool so Now stop talking S***.
Small minded people that are heartless do not help our cause.
Happy Christmas and god bless America.
Yes, it's true. I am not a criminal.
Happy New year, S***H**D.
I thought it was a joke, but I come to find out it is true. if I go back to Ireland I cannot get the Dole for 18 month. But if a european is on the dole in Ireland, they decide to leave and go back to their home country. They get the dole mailed to them for a year after they leave.
All we want is the irish goverment to help us and we are not even asking them for money.
NO IRISH NEED APPLY, no not the old sign, but the new one on building sites in POLAND.
As always it is pushed off to the one side, because it is only the Irish. Again our Goverment has failed in looking after their citizens who need help.
Again Hard Tack stop talking about something you know nothing about.
The irish undocumented are not criminal's. Because they have not broken any criminal law's. They have broken a civil law. Something the same as not wearing a seat belt.
To bad were going to prison for 45 day's or more for breaking a civil law.
yes, if you are an Irish citizen that has been away from Ireland over 5 years you are unable to claim wefare for 18 month, after you return.
St Patrick's day is on the way and so is the representaives from Ireland to celebrate in the ocassion. Well mabey it is time they found out what it is really like to live here and not be able to travel.
Call your local t.d's/councilors office and tell them not to bother coming here wasting taxpayers money, when most of them are doing nothing to help us get a visa.
Tell them we do not wanted them repesenting us, when they do nothing for us.
TD'S STAY HOME
I agree most of the T.D's should stay in Ireland, they are doing
nothing to help the undocumented.
It is up to them to ask the Irish goverment to lobby on our behalf.
I for one am sick of asking the Irish gov to help us , they were gun hoe to help us running up to the Irish election but now we are not a priortity. But as we see a deja vue of the 80's in Ireland we will see a deja vue of irish immigrnts comming to USA this year I predict aroung Paddy's day .... come on over there is no work here but it might wake the Irish Gov and the Irish immigration groups up over here to the fact that the undoc that are here should be a priotity . SO ALL UNDOC cALL YOUR TD'S , ETC IN IRELAND AND DEMAND SOMETHING TO BE DONE. look at all the Latino groups here in US lobbing Obama's congress already what are ILIR doing , now is the time are you going to DC to lobby on JAn 21st with LAtino groups????
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