NEW! Irish call to mobilize support for immigration bill

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform strongly welcomes the Senate vote in favor of S.744, The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

The bill, which passed 68-32, includes two very important provisions for the  Irish community:

• The bill will put the Irish undocumented on a path to legalization.

• The second will allow for a  10,500 renewable E-3 visas annually for people  from the island of Ireland.

The immigration debate now moves to the House of Representatives where ILIR President Ciaran Staunton met with Paul Ryan (WI-R) last week.

Speaking after the vote from Capitol Hill, ILIR president Ciaran Staunton (pictured with Ryan, center, and Irish senator Mark Daly) said: “This is the best opportunity in 50 years for Irish America to open a door that has been closed.”

“It is also the golden opportunity for our 50,000 undocumented to get started  on their pathway to citizenship.”

“Now is the time for Irish Americans across the country to call their member of Congress and urge support for the immigration bill.”

The ILIR  will ratchet up lobbying with all members of Congress and plans to organize phone banks for Irish Americans across the U.S.

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ABOUT US

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) is fighting for the voice of the estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish in the immigration debate.

ILIR was set up in December 2005 and since then we have held several immigration rallies throughout the US and high-profile lobby days in Congress to lobby for our undocumented Irish workers,

Senior politicians such as Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-AZ), the late Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Sam Brownback (R-KS) have all attended ILIR rallies along with their colleagues in the House, such as Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA), Marty Meehan (D-MA) and many more.

ILIR has become the major voice of Irish America on immigration and has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN, CBS Evening News, NBC News, Fox News, Newsday, The Boston Globe, The Florida Sun Sentinel, San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Sun, and over 100 other media outlets throughout America.</p>

Members of the ILIR include key officers from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Gaelic Athletic Association, Irish American Democrats, the Irish American Republicans, the Friends of Ireland, Federation of Irish American Societies, Irish American business owners, immigration centers, community leaders and professionals from across the spectrum of Irish America.

We have major chapters in key political states such as California (San Franciso, 8th District) and are the fastest growing Irish American grass-roots organization in the country.