SEPTEMBER 2007

5000 Donegal people illegal in United States

The fate of 5,000 Donegal people living illegally in the United States is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

Nial O'Dowd of the Irish lobby for Immigration Reform said although the chances of major immigration reform bill, which could see the legal status of up to 50,000 Irish living in legal limbo in the US corrected are negligible, his group's campaign will continue.

"For the Irish undocumented the prospects of a major immigration bill being passed in the House or Senate in the new session are negligible. That does not mean there will be no action on immigration issues however", he said. "Issues such as the Dream Act, which would give legal status to children who came here with their illegal parents and know no other society are being pushed strongly by advocates such as Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois," he added.

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform had suffered a set back since the defeat of the comprehensive bill in early summer but they say since the ruling they have not been idle with continuous discussion with senior figures in Congress, in the Irish government and elsewhere about the best way forward. The lobby has also just hired former Congressman Bruce Morrison, author of the Morrison visas bill and a long term expert on all aspects of immigration law, as their lobbyist in Washington. "Obviously, the Irish government now becomes a major player/ Given their high visibility and major access in Washington it could not be otherwise. The government of Bertie Ahern has taken a consistently strong stand on the issue of legalizing the Irish and the time has now come for all who are interested in achieving that goal to come together and work on an agreed formula" said Mr. O'Dowd.

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