Thread: Irish group to lobby Washington, again

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Irish group to lobby Washington, again
By GERALD MCKINSTRY
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original Publication: June 21, 2006)

If you go

What: The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform is going to Washington as part of its efforts to advance immigration change in the House.


Cost: free

When: June 28

Where: Buses leave from Katonah Avenue in the Bronx at 5 a.m.

Information: Call 845-359-0392 or 914-595-2558. Visit the group's Web site at www.irishlobbyusa.org.



An Irish activist group that has been lobbying for immigration changes is heading back to Washington. This time, it is focusing on the House of Representatives.

On June 28, the New York-based Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform will go to the capital to bolster support for immigration changes in the House. A Senate bill, known as the Kennedy-McCain bill, passed last month.

Organizers said they would try to meet with several congressmen — namely Reps. Pete King, R-Long Island; Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.; and F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.; and Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, — who now do not support the Senate's version.

"We're hopefully going to change their views and hopefully they'll realize this is the best way to fix a broken immigration system," said Matt Reilly, a Blauvelt man who has been active in the immigration movement. "We're going to talk to them and persuade them to support the Kennedy-McCain bill."

The lobby group expected Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to join them. The Senate bill was introduced last year by Kennedy and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

It called for a guest-worker program that would admit up to 200,000 people per year; hiring of more Border Patrol agents; building hundreds of miles of fencing on the border; and allowing illegal immigrants who have been in the country for at least five years to remain, pay $2,000 in fines and settle back taxes, among other provisions.

It is estimated that the number of illegal immigrants ranges from 6 million to 11 million and that there are between 40,000 and 50,000 from Ireland in the United States.

In March, thousands from the Lower Hudson Valley, the Bronx Queens, Stamford, Conn., Boston and Philadelphia marched on the capital to lobby senators. A month later, McCain visited the Bronx as part of a town hall meeting sponsored by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.

Kelly Fincham, director of the immigration group, said the trip in March that focused on the Senate was a success and she expected similar numbers for this trip.

"We're prepared to knock on all 531 doors," she said. "We would hope to be changing some minds in the House."

Leaders who oppose the Senate's version have raised concerns about potentially granting amnesty to immigrants.

King, for example, has said cracking down on illegal immigration was paramount in the post-Sept. 11 world. His approach called for stricter immigration laws that pay particular attention to border controls and enforcement. He has also proposed making it a crime to be in this country illegally.

That has many in the Irish community concerned, but Fincham hoped the trip might change King's mind.

"There's still room for him to be a friend of the Irish," she said.



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I suppose they will also tell us how easy it is to immigrate to Ireland..... yeah, right !!!

"There's still room for him to be a friend of the Irish," she said

This is not about being friends to anyone. If you are in my country illegally - GET OUT!