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 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.
Real chance for the Irish
“We do not intend the Irish to get left out on the cutting room floor again,” says Staunton.
“This bill provides for the first time in years a real chance for the Irish undocumented to come out of the shadows and have a better way of life.
“What is needed now is for everybody both in Ireland and the US to use their contacts and get backing from the House for this Bill.”
Mobilize
Staunton is working with all major Irish American groups from coast to coast to mobilize support for the bill.
Over the next few weeks, the ILIR will be holding community meetings in Boston and New York and other cities and details of those meetings will be posted on Facebook.
“The Irish community can’t let this opportunity slip by. This bill would solve the problems of those who are here undocumented and it would help the ones coming out from Ireland in the future. We have to keep pushing it forward and get it done, once and for all.”
How you can help
Find your member of Congress http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Phone his or her office
Say: “The Irish American community wants (your Congress member name) to support immigration reform.”
Please remember to like ILIR on Facebook - this is the quickest and easiest way to keep up to date.
www.legalizetheIrish.org ilir.ny@gmail.com
Tags: America, immigration, Ireland, Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform
