Category Archives: Foreign Affairs, the Irish Overseas and Diaspora

By John Riordan

The head of the Irish group lobbying for immigration reform in the US has criticised the Department of Foreign Affairs for its lack of support and said he feels “isolated” because of the inaction of the Government.

Ciarán Staunton, who fronts the influential Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, also accused the Government of being too old-fashioned in its approach and more concerned with diplomacy rather than pushing for real change.
“When it comes to the politics of Washington most people are using the iPhone. But the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy are still using the rotary dial-up,” said Mr Staunton.
“The policies have never changed. What happens when you have the permanent government situation, the script is the same.
“We can only advise them. We’re Irish-American and they’re a foreign government but ultimately they can open doors.”
With or without Dublin’s support, Mr Staunton said, he has no choice but to push the Irish-American agenda into uncharted territories across the 50 states.
Sen Edward Kennedy’s Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 ended the discrimination of country-by-country immigration quotas but, in the opinion of Kennedy himself, speaking two years before he died in 2009, inadvertently discriminated against the Irish.
“No Irish government hasever used that sort of language,” said Mr Staunton. “Official Ireland has been very reluctant — I don’t think they’ve ever addressed the 1965 Act. The department [Foreign Affairs] have been the weak link. There’s a mentality of ‘let’s not talk about it, let’s not ask’. One of the things in Washington is that you always have to be looking, you always have to be pushing.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs  defended its role in the battle to document the 50,000 Irish illegally in the US.
The Government has funded the immigration reform lobby to the tune of €324,637 since 2006.
On a recent visit to DC, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said efforts to address theissue have been ongoing since he took office in early 2011.

Senator Daly launched Fianna Fáil’s Policy Proposals for the Irish Overseas in July. To read them, click below.

Be part of the debate on US Immigration reform and the struggle for legalisation of the #undocumented Irish – Follow @SenatorMarkDaly and see more of his work towards US Visa Reform as Spokesperson for the Irish Overseas and Diaspora here.

Senator Daly welcomes positive overtures from House Republicans and further polling data in the US which points towards a better result for Immigration reform hopefuls.

CBS News: Is the Tide Turning for Immigration Reform?

Be part of the debate on US Immigration reform and the struggle for legalisation of the #undocumented Irish – Follow @SenatorMarkDaly and see more of his work towards US Visa Reform as Spokesperson for the Irish Overseas and Diaspora here.

In the latest on the passage of the Immigration ‘Gang of Eight’ Bill through the US House of Congress, IrishCentral reports that it would free “thousands of Irish from their current illegal status”.

IrishCentral: Immigration will go to the House Floor in October

Irish Senator Mark Daly, Congressman Paul Ryan, and Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform President Ciaran Staunton, at Ryan’s office on Capitol Hill in May 2013