President Obama’s Executive Order paves the way for many ‘Undocumented Irish’ to normalise their residency in the United States.
President Barack Obama has unveiled temporary measures allowing millions of illegal immigrants, including, it is estimated, thousands of Irish, to live and work in the US without the risk of being deported.
The proposals include a relaxation of restrictions allowing qualifying Irish immigrants to travel between the US and Ireland. Mr Obama outlined the actions in a televised address, describing them as “accountability – a commonsense, middle ground approach.” This will be hotly disputed by Republicans who are fixated on immigration issues and have taken control of the Senate and Congress in recent elections.
In the primetime televised address the President said, “If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported,” from the East Room of the White House.
In the absence of legislation, Mr Obama said that he would direct immigration enforcement agents to focus on deporting “felons, not families; criminals, not children” and overlook the illegal status of just over four million immigrants who are parents to US–born citizen children or legal permanent residents.
Jennie McShannon CEO or Irish in Britain welcomed the move while contrasting the rhetoric in the run up to yesterdays bi–election here in Britain which spoke of deporting EU migrants. She also wished to congratulate all those who have long campaigned for this first step towards normalising the lives of thousands of Irish immigrants in the United States, in particular Ciaran Staunton of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.
The Irish Times reports that “This will have a big effect on our community,” according to Mr. Staunton, the New York–based co–founder of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. “Many people will sigh with relief because not only could they not work here legally but they couldn’t travel. For anyone who meets both areas this will indeed be a huge day.”
He expressed disappointment that undocumented Irish who have been living in the US for more than five years who don’t or couldn’t have children will not be helped under these measures.
“We hope that the White House will address this oversight immediately,” he said.