Amnesty for illegal Irish in US 'not on', says G.W.B

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:12 pm

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontp ... 23363.html

IRISH PEOPLE living illegally in the US will not qualify for an amnesty and they will have to return home before lodging new visa applications, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said.

Ruling out any possibility of a special deal for Ireland, Mr Ahern, speaking following White House talks with US president George Bush, said an amnesty solely for the Irish was "not on".

He is now placing his hopes on a two-way visa deal for 2009 or later that would benefit 18 to 35-year-olds from both countries. However, visas would last for no more than 15 months and would be renewable just once. In addition, such visas, if the scheme can be agreed, could not be applied for by anyone living illegally in the US, so they would have "to return to base" and lodge fresh applications.

Mr Ahern met for 45 minutes with Mr Bush, before both attended a ceremony attended by Northern Ireland leaders including Sinn FÃ©in's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

Later, Mr Ahern and Mr Bush travelled to Capitol Hill for a lunch hosted by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, which was also attended by Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue.

Speaking later, Mr Ahern said he wanted to be "honest about these things" with the undocumented Irish in the US, who could number between 3,000 and 20,000. "I don't want to be gilding the lily. There are 12 million people here illegally. We came very close to a Bill with McCain and Kennedy. It wasn't possible to deliver. The concept of an amnesty, wiping the sheet clean, is just not on."

The Taoiseach, who returns to Dublin today, briefly met Democratic presidential nomination contender Hilllary Clinton, and spoke by phone to Barack Obama.

JAJ · Post by **JAJ** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:09 am

I haven't noticed the Irish authorities giving any particular concessions to American citizens who wish to move to the Republic of Ireland.

room1102 · Post by **room1102** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:25 am

JAJ wrote:I haven't noticed the Irish authorities giving any particular concessions to American citizens who wish to move to the Republic of Ireland.

did the irish ever give any concessions to anyone at all? forget about he ilegal immigrants in ireland. ireland even treat the legal migrant workers not good.

Christophe · Post by **Christophe** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:52 am

Well, leaving aside completely the whole question of amnesties for illegal immigrants generally, I fail to see why Irish illegal immigrants in the USA ought to be treated any differently from any other group. (I am speaking as a non-Irish non-American here...)

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:40 am

Well, leaving aside completely the whole question of amnesties for illegal immigrants generally, I fail to see why Irish illegal immigrants in the USA ought to be treated any differently from any other group. (I am speaking as a non-Irish non-American here...)

Christophe, this is the exact reason why this topic bothers me so much. Yes, they've lived there for years and they've built lives there, but so have numerous people from just about every other country. If they were pushing for an all-encomassing amnesty, it wouldn't bother me, it's the whole idea of "Just help us and feck everyone else". You know, it will probably make me sound cold, but if Irish citizens had to come back to Ireland, they'd be returning to a place where they would still have opportunities. How many people from Latin American/African/Asian countries could say that?

Not to mention the blatant hypocrisy of the Irish government given how they are towards immigrants.

Ugh, this is the one immigration topic that really makes my blood boil.

jenangeles · Post by **jenangeles** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:33 am

Yeah, that bothers me as well. There's plenty of illegal immigrants in America.. Why should we JUST be letting the Irish have amnesty? Why not the Mexicans or any other group? Its simple, your visa expired.. you get out. I'm an American living in Dublin at the moment and I have great life here (boyfriend, decent job, good friends, etc.) but my visa expires in a few weeks and I can't renew it so I'm leaving. I don't want to but remaining in the country illegally isn't even an option for me no matter how much I want to stay. I don't understand the people that think they have a right to stay in a country and then cry foul when the government won't look the other way or grant them amnesty. What also bugs me is that they wanted this sort of amnesty without giving any sort of concession towards Americans in Ireland. I might be in the minority and most people seem to want to go the other direction but it would have been nice if they had at least put some sort of reciprocal agreement on the table.

microlab · Post by **microlab** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:44 pm

Some intresting thoughts here,even thought bit off-topic!

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 74942.aspx

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:55 pm

Well, Im glad that GWB told Bertie in straight terms that the Irish in America will be treated the same way they are treating other immigrants here in Ireland.
http://www.metroeireann.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=50

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:27 pm

From the Irish Times...

Nigerian family can take case to High Court

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandc ... %20Stories

THE WOMAN and her two daughters who are facing deportation to Nigeria have been granted permission to fight their case in the High Court.

An injunction was granted to Pamela Izevbekhai and her two daughters, Naomi (7) and Jemima (5), on the grounds that their lawyers were seeking to challenge a decision made by Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan.

On Wednesday, the Minister decided not to use his discretion to grant a subsidiary protection order to allow her and her children to remain in this country.

Ms Izevbekhai says that if her daughters were to return to Nigeria, they would almost certainly face female genital mutilation, from which her eldest daughter Elizabeth died before she moved to Ireland in 2005.

joesoap101 · Post by **joesoap101** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:48 pm

Christophe wrote:Well, leaving aside completely the whole question of amnesties for illegal immigrants generally, I fail to see why Irish illegal immigrants in the USA ought to be treated any differently from any other group. (I am speaking as a non-Irish non-American here...)

Because the Irish have a misplaced sense of entitlement. I'm happy that the Irish politicians are finally being honest with the people though (on this issue). Can you imagine what uproar there would be if only the Irish got an amnesty? The protests not too long ago would pale in comparison! Its a very sensitive issue, especially when it appears that white people are given unfair preference- and thats exactly what it would be if the Irish were given a special deal.

Directive/2004/38/EC · Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:22 am

There is a very powerful Irish political lobby in the US. In the past, they have been able to encourage the implementation of various rules that were very Irish friendly. But it was done quietly and below the radar.

I do not think, with the present political attention to immigration in the US, that any Irish specific arrangement can be put into place now.

Except for student exchanges and other all-positive/no-threat arrangements.

Laoch na hEireann · Post by **Laoch na hEireann** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:01 pm

room1102 wrote:
JAJ wrote:I haven't noticed the Irish authorities giving any particular concessions to American citizens who wish to move to the Republic of Ireland.
did the irish ever give any concessions to anyone at all? forget about he ilegal immigrants in ireland. ireland even treat the legal migrant workers not good.

Irish people need a visa to enter America and even have to under go an interview to get it.......americans dont need a visa to come to Ireland!!!!
YOU SOUND LIKE YIOU HAVE A CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER

Many people don realise there are nore irish roots in the usa than any other nationality. It was the Irish who worked there mule off many years ago building america.... they didnt collect any benifets or social welfare.... they either worked or starved

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:51 pm

Irish people need a visa to enter America and even have to under go an interview to get it.......americans dont need a visa to come to Ireland!!!!

Not true. Irish citizens can enter Ireland without a visa for up to 90 days on the visa waiver program. If they want to stay longer and/or take up employment, then they need a visa. It's the same the other way around. Americans can enter Ireland for 90 days visa-free, any longer they need a visa.

Many people don realise there are nore irish roots in the usa than any other nationality.

If you are talking about ancestry, then Germany wins hands down; look it up.

It was the Irish who worked there mule off many years ago building america.... they didnt collect any benifets or social welfare.... they either worked or starved

True, but that was about a hundred years ago. And many other groups busted their asses off just as much and continue to do so. That's what bugs me so much... what makes the Irish population so entitled to think that they are the only ones deserving of an amnesty, when there are many others that have contributed just as much?

JAJ · Post by **JAJ** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:42 am

yankeegirl wrote: True, but that was about a hundred years ago. And many other groups busted their asses off just as much and continue to do so. That's what bugs me so much... what makes the Irish population so entitled to think that they are the only ones deserving of an amnesty, when there are many others that have contributed just as much?

It is worth noting that the population of the Republic of Ireland is not descended from those who "built America".

The descendants of such persons are American citizens and most of them are too far removed to get Irish citizenship even if they want it.

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Amnesty for illegal Irish in US 'not on', says G.W.B

Amnesty for illegal Irish in US 'not on', says G.W.B