TD Wants Illegal Irish Issue Raised with Obama

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been urged 2 raised the issue of illegal Irish immigrants in the United States while American President make an official visits to Ireland in May. Deputy Sean Crowe Fiana Fail said that he was hopeful that Obama administration would review US immigration policy and he has called on the Taoiseach to raise the issue directly with American president. I am hopeful that Obama administration would review the existing immigration policies regarding the undocumented persons in United States, Deputy Crowe said.

The number of undocumented includes a large percentage of Irish born people. Like all undocumented persons of all nationalities, their lives are unsettled. They are living in the shadows with their families under precarious circumstances. It would be to the huge benefits to the US as well as 2 the undocumented individuals 2 regulate their status so they become even greater contributors to the American system. The Irish undocumented already contribute economically, socially, culturally 2 the American way of life. Deputy Crowe was previously part of the cross party dial delegation that lobbied Capital Hill and Congress on the issue. The Obama Administration need to urgently address this. The need 2 be creative on the issue of legalising the Irish and introduce a pathway 4 citizenship to all our undocumented. I am calling on the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to raise the important issue of the undocumented Irish directly to president Obama.

Patrick Maphoso Response

Patrick Maphoso Wants Undocumented Immigrants in Ireland Issue Raised During Obama’s Visit.

This is in response to the above subject matter Re – TD Wants Illegal Irish Issue Raised with Obama published in the Southside People newspaper on page 6, dated 27^th April 2011 and written by Jamie Deasy.

Patrick Maphoso is a South African immigrant, former independent contestant for the 2009 Dublin Inner City local election and off course an activist who commits himself to promoting anti-racism, human rights, equality and social justice in Ireland.

Patrick Maphoso in his response to the Deputy Sean Crowe (TD) is also hoping that the Taoiseach Enda Kenny administration would review all Irish immigration policy and is also calling on the Taoiseach to legalise all the undocumented immigrants in the Republic of Ireland.  The number of undocumented immigrants in Ireland includes a large percentage of those who were legally invited to work in Ireland on Work Permit Scheme, families with Irish born children and those whose applications to remain are still pending. Like all undocumented persons of all nationalities in Ireland, their lives have been ‘put on hold’ and they’ve merely been existing and not living. Most of them are also living in the shadows with their families under precarious circumstances, with little or nothing to live on and their lives are unsettled.

It would be to the huge benefit to Ireland as well as the undocumented individuals to regulate their status so that they become even greater contributors to the Irish system. Most of the undocumented immigrants as well already contribute culturally and socially to the Irish way of life. The Enda Kenny administration needs to address this. There is a need to be creative on the issue of legalising immigrants in Ireland and introduce a pathway for citizenship to all undocumented immigrants living in Ireland. I also hope that the Taoiseach must understand with me at this point that words are ‘lead ways’ to actions. They are indeed guiding principles and goal measurer. It will be in anyone’s best interest to achieve a more transparent society; it is our goal also to achieve a more just society. Most of the times transparency and openness tends to lead an individual in the right direction. I implore the Taoiseach to visualize the difficult journey through the tangled maze of immigration journey that they had gone through to get to where they are today. Most immigrants are fit and would be useful members of the Irish society and have more to contribute to make Ireland a better place. Just like the adage which says ‘What’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ and so also what’s good for the undocumented Irish in United States should also be good for undocumented Immigrants in Ireland.