Oireachtas group to lobby for illegal Irish in US

AN Oireachtas Foreign Affairs committee will travel to the US later this year to lobby for permanent residency on behalf of illegal Irish immigrants. The political support follows a private meeting with the US ambassador to Ireland, James Kenny.

He said US President George W Bush may implement new measures to allow illegals ‘come clean’ by paying a financial penalty. Irish immigration centres estimate 10,000 Irish are among 14 million illegals in the US. The US Citizen and Immigration Services’ statistics from 2000 put the number of Irish illegals at 3,000.

Mr Kenny reportedly told the joint Oireachtas body Mr Bush was determined to make the US a “more welcoming country”. His proposal could lead to permanent residency for illegals, some living in the US for more than 20 years.