Bertie funds Open Borders organisation

by redjade Thu Mar 16, 2006 22:17

THE McCAIN/KENNEDY BILL (S1033)
Frequently Asked Questions

The Kennedy/McCain Bill [S.1033] is the legislation most favoured by business groups throughout the U.S., as well as immigrant advocacy groups and the Irish government.

The Kennedy/McCain bill covers several issues but most importantly, it provides legal status for undocumented people already in the U.S.

Anyone in the country on the date of the bill’s introduction on May 12, 2005 would be eligible to come forward and register with the Department of Homeland Security, pay a $1,000 fee, go through background checks. Once that happens the person would be eligible for a work permit.

The person would have to commit to working for six years — at the end of the six years they would have to show evidence that they worked and paid their taxes, to be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

http://irishlobbyusa.org/toolkit/kennedymccain.php

Where's Bono Now? (image from LegalizeTheIrish.org)

by redjade Thu Mar 16, 2006 22:20

Cregan urges Bono to lead bid to pass Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill

Limerick West Fianna Fáil TD John Cregan:
''Bono has been a leading campaigner in the fight against Aids and Third World debt. He has used his celebrity and social conscience to highlight injustice and improve the lot of vulnerable people across the globe.

This is an opportunity for him to intervene in the lives of his own people....

The time is right for someone of Bono’s global status to bolster the campaign for Irish immigrants and put the issue on a larger public stage. He has proven himself to be an influential campaigner with access powerful politicians,’ said Deputy Cregan.''

more at
http://www.fiannafail.ie/policy_page.php4?topic=175&id=5443

———

Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs
''In addition we have given funding to the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. All Irish diplomats, embassies, consulates in the US have been instructed to regard the undocumented issue as a number one priority.''
http://www.fiannafail.ie/policy_page.php4?topic=175&id=5520

by redjade Thu Mar 16, 2006 22:22

Kennedy Leads Irish Rally in Support of Immigration Reform

‘There’s nowhere in the world where Irish citizens are more marginalized than the United States,’ said O’Dowd, publisher of the weekly Irish Voice.

The Irish-born population in the United States has been dwindling for years, from 251,000 in 1970 to 169,827 in 1990, according to the census. It has fallen sharply over the last four years, most notably between 2003 and 2004, when it dropped from 148,416 to 127,682.”

http://www.tedkennedy.com/journal/740/kennedy-leads-iri...eform

by redjade Thu Mar 16, 2006 22:27

An Irish Face on the Cause of Citizenship
NY Times
March 16, 2006

"They're still good at the game," said Linda Dowling Almeida, who teaches the history of Irish immigration at New York University. She and other historians noted that in the mid-19th century, Irish immigrants used the clout of urban political machines and leadership by the Roman Catholic Church to beat back a nativist movement that saw them as a threat to national security and American culture.

More recently, Mr. O'Dowd, the publisher of The Irish Voice, was himself part of a lobby that leaned on legislators with Irish heritage to engineer more than 48,000 visas for the Irish, legalizing many who had re-greened old Celtic neighborhoods in New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

But much has changed. After 9/11, a groundswell of anger over illegal immigration converged with national security concerns, propelling a populist revolt across party lines. Immigration is now seen as a no-win issue in electoral politics. And both opponents and supporters of legalization take a more jaundiced view of the Irish role in the debate.

"They're essentially saying, 'Look, we're good European illegal immigrants,' " said Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports the House and Senate measures that would turn "unlawful presence," now a civil violation, into a crime. "The reason they've been more successful is the same reason it appeals to editors — immigration nostalgia from 150 years ago."

He added: "Can they be bought off by a special program for a handful of remaining illegals? I'm not saying it's a good idea, but you just start talking about the old sod and singing 'Danny Boy,' and of course it's possible."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/16/nyregion/16irish.html...print
[no registration required]

by redjade Thu Mar 16, 2006 22:30

Immigration reform and the Irish

Given the manner in which the Irish are seen as part of mainstream - read white - U.S. culture, some of elements surrounding the moral panic are missing.

An extra twist is the manner in which the Irish have responded to growing immigration in Ireland, with a referendum being passed last year to deny automatic citizenship to children born in Ireland whose parents are not citizens.

[....]

The stories on the blog [ http://www.irishvoices.blogspot.com ] are filled with emotion and, as an Irishman, I can't help but be sympathetic. Other questions arise of course: Will the proposed amendment help 'safe' (white) groups like the Irish at the expense of others? By highlighting themselves as a special case, are the Irish putting an acceptable face on undocumented migrants, and thus helping undocumented immigrants at large, or are they selling out other undocumented workers, in a repeat of the late 1800s? Do Irish immigrants have a duty of care to other (future?) undocumented migrant populations, or as undeniably vulnerable individuals is it reasonable to leverage such influence as they have without regard for other groups? How will the proposal impact upon other established immigrant groups?

more at
http://funferal.org/mt-archive/001137.html

also read the update post:
http://funferal.org/mt-archive/001142.html

————————————

D'emigrants and d'immigrants

''For those non-Irish readers who can't parse the language here, "immigration reform" means illegals getting amnesty and "undocumented" means illegal visa overstayer. Back in Ireland, "immigration reform" means signing bilaterals with Romania and Nigeria voiding asylum applications from there and "undocumented" are "'fugees, who get free cars from the government and are taking our jobs and women" (especially dodgy if they are - eek - coloured!)

Maybe it's because emigration is not a major factor in my family, maybe it's the recollection of how tough it was to get through Citizenship and Immigration Canada to achieve legal status here and maybe it's the hypocrises outlined above, but I find myself with little sympathy for the illegals. The Americans are entitled to control their immigration and if crackdowns come on illegals, the legals will be profiled and suffer for it.''

http://cork2toronto.blogspot.com/2006/02/demigrants-and....html

——————

And from the Anti-HibernoBlogosphere....

The Friggen Irish

'What the hell is wrong with Ireland? Why can’t the Irish live THERE? Why does everybody in the entire world feel they deserve a right to live HERE? Go back home, you’re pissing me off!'

http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/?p=758#comments

———

Let’s Change U.S. Law On Anchor Babies

Consider the issue of anchor babies and what, if anything, should be done about them. Anchor babies, for those not yet familiar with the term, is the description given to babies of illegal immigrants who are delivered in the United States. These babies, under current interpretation of U.S. law, automatically become U.S. citizens and most qualify immediately for a variety of benefits, including Medicaid. Over time, they can open the door to citizenship to other family members.

Last week, there was a flurry of national news stories announcing the current estimate that 300,000 such babies are born each year in this country.

[ weblog post goes on to praise Ireland's recent Referendum results ]

http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/?p=36

by :-) Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:42

Ever since the flight of the geese. (remember them?)

[Louis Bourbon XVI of France allied to James II of England (Seamus VII of Scotland) accepted around 10,000 Irish troops under Patrick Sarsfield who lost to William of Orange the final battle at Limerick October 3rd 1691. Sarsfield died in battle in 1693 his last words said to be :- "Oh, that this were for Ireland."] The Irish formed brigades throughout the European imperial armies, and later after the French revolution in the Republican forces.

and through stealing loaves of bread :-

"In 1803 we sailed out to sea
Out from the sweet town of Derry.
For Australia bound if we didn't all drown
And the marks of our letters were heavy
In the rusty iron chains we signed for our wanes
Our women we left there in sorrow
As the main sails unfurled, our cares we hurled
At the English and the thoughts of tomorrow

Refrain: oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry.
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry. "

And the wild geese had not been the first mass migration. The fight of the earls had occured in 1607 after the collapse of the Munster rebellion and saw the titular heads of all the main gaelic dynasties by then also carrying norman english titles leave for Portugal, Spain and France. With the exceptions of a only a few, (the don o'connor) the "prince" families continue to live on the Iberian peninsula or its islands, though not a single one uses either gaelic or norman title anymore. Which is jolly good for Bertie Ahern, coz he's the taoiseach of a proudly independent and sovereign republic, and having princes about would run counter to such a splendid arrangement.

when can we use the death ray on our enemies and return in triumph?

by John - dunaree2000 Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:49

I think the most significant thing in all this is how the Irish, when they go to live abroad, always opt for the most capitalist countries. I doubt if there will ever be much need to mount a campaign on behalf of Irish 'illegals' in Cuba, North Korea or whatever few remaining countries pass as socialist these days. Between 1922 and 1990 millions of Irish emigrated to America. During that time I doubt if the total number of Irish emigrating to the Soviet Union or the eastern European socialist countries reached double figures. Doesn't that tell you something?

by belch Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:57

since when has planetary migration seen people go to repressive or centralised labor controlled states?

by Legalize Fri Mar 17, 2006 19:38

Can you imagine Irish politicians in a photo-op smiling holding t-shirts reading "legalize the x" where x is an immigrant community living in Ireland. Here, imagine this: Bertie grinning, holding a t-shirt reading "legalize the roma"! Hah! I doubt it.

by knowing we have the death ray too Mr Riordan Fri Apr 07, 2006 02:02

of course I'm not the only illustrator, we're a bit of a team. Illustrations use up memory space on the server. (The Server) is a bit like a washing machine in most respects, its a luxury good of certain unreliability. But you share it with more people. If you enjoy the illustrations remember they push up the running costs. You can donate to your local imc here if you live in ireland of course, http://indymedia.ie/donate but maybe you live in the tippy top of Antrim in which case your closest indymedia in terms of banking and stuff may actually be the scottish bunch, "If you're interested in speaking with us about donations, please contact us on 0131 225 6885 or by email to at info at imcscotland.org . Cheques payable to 'Indymedia Scotland' can be sent to 3, Bristo Place, (Basement), Edinburgh, EH1 1EY; but let us know they are coming." Is what the scottish have to say to you. Or perhaps your priorities and budget are somewhat otherwise focussed in which case you can donate time and attention to the "free battery chickens for Easter campaign" here :- http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-ireland...orial



dodgy link pretending its a good compromise.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1180978,....html

Papers for Everyone!=
Papales para Tod@s!

another illustration