US Travel Ban: 50,000 undocumented Irish urged ‘not to panic’

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform in the US is urging the country’s 50,000 undocumented Irish not to panic about President Trump’s clampdown on immigration — as it will only impact undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records.

ILIR president Ciaran Staunton said: “We are advising people not to be alarmed by scaremongering. The authorities don’t have the manpower to go after people who have committed misdemeanours like parking fines as they have undocumented criminals with felony offences like murder and rape to deal with first. Overstaying a visa is not a criminal offence in the US,” he warned.

He also rejected calls for the Taoiseach to boycott the traditional visit to the White House on St Patrick’s Day.