‘Protect Irish illegals in US’ says Dara Murphy

A Government minister has urged colleagues to use their “very strong relationships” with Irish American politicians to block potential plans to remove thousands of illegal Irish immigrants from the US.

European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy made the comment as new US President Donald Trump said he wants to expel three million illegal immigrants and as US-born Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone warned “fundamental freedoms” are at immediate risk of being eroded.

Speaking after attending an emergency EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels over the US election result — an event described by the non-attending British foreign secretary Boris Johnson as a “whinge-o-rama” — Mr Murphy said Government is focused on the plight of illegal Irish people living in the US.