Waivers must be granted to undocumented irish

Sean McMahon
in the Farnham Arms

An organisation seeking waivers to allow undocumented Irish living in the US to return home without fear of not being allowed to re-enter the States has called on Cavan people to get involved in a letter campaign for the cause.

Michael McMahon from the group ‘Undocumented Irish in the US’ delivered the message at a meeting in the Farnham Arms Hotel in Cavan last Friday to relatives of those affected and politicians.

He said that the majority of the undocumented Irish in the USA are doing well for themselves and many are involved in activities and associations in the communities in which they live. Their children are going to primary school and high school there but, alas, they can’t come back home to visit family and relations for fear of not being able to re-enter the US.

The group outlined its hopes to meet President Michael D. Higgins on the issue and bring an All-Ireland campaign to bear on the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“We need to be able to tell them [the undocumented Irish in the US] at this stage that we care about them. They have missed out on funerals here and weddings. They don’t know their aunts or their cousins because some of them have not been home in 20 odd years,” Michael told those at the meeting.

“That is an indictment on any Government that has not done something about it. We are an open ordinary group and we are not interested in the politics of anybody. The one thing we are interested in is emigration – I always say that emigration knows no borders and it knows no politics. We know it is time that we got up and spoke loudly and clearly to our politicians of all creeds and all political persuasions and none and sporting organisations and ask the question – what are we doing about our brothers and sisters, sons, daughters and cousins who are over in America for 20 odd years and aren’t allowed to come home?” said a passionate Michael.

He urged those present at the meeting to get a letter campaign up and running and write to politicians and ask them what they are doing about this situation.
“If my son or your daughters or sons were Mexicans or other nationalities – they would have waivers – they would be fit to come home at least once,” he said.

“I don’t think that is too big a sacrifice for a Government to make in the 21st century... Let us look after our emigrants who left this country,” added Mr McMahon.

Fianna Fáil Senator Diarmuid Wilson, who was present at the meeting, said that Deputy Brendan Smith last raised this matter in the Dail on May 19. In reply, on that occasion, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, said: ‘We are continuing to work closely with high-level government contacts, as well as with many other individuals and groups across Irish America and beyond, through the Irish Embassy in Washington and our consulates throughout the US. All of this work is aimed at achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US and improved channels for legal migration between Ireland and the US.’
Senator Wilson gave a commitment to make contact with his Oireachtas colleagues in relation to the matter. The chairman of Cavan County Council, Cllr Paddy Smith (FG) gave an undertaking to lobby/contact local politicans, as well as Minister Flanagan on the issue.

Cllr Sean Conlon (SF) however highlighted that those taking up a waiver feared the consequences of then being on the radar of the INS.
“We need clarification on that and that is why we require the elected government of the day to tell us this,” replied Mr McMahon.

Cllrs Niamh Smyth (FF), Eugene Greenan (SF), Paddy O’Reilly (FG) and Leitrim Cllr Martin Kenny (SF) also spoke in support of the campaign.