Thread: Hispanic Lawmaker Says CIR Bill to Come This Summer

Last Updated: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 21:10

US immigration reform to be put to Senate

MARK HENNESSY, Political Correspondent

Major immigration reform in the United States will be put to the US Senate before the summer, a leading US Congresswoman haas said in Dublin.

Making a special one-to-one deal between Ireland and the US is not possible, said Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez.

But Ireland's need would be dealt with if such immigration legislation was passed by the Houses of Congress.

The Irish American immigration groups have been long campaigning for changes to benefit the undocumented Irish who have been living in many cases in the US illegally for over two decades.

Currently the Irish Government and the US are working on a short-term immigration deal which would allow young Irish to work in the States for up to two years.

US president Barack Obama has recently backed the passage of comprehensive immigration legislation, which could reach the Houses of Representatives before the summer holiday break.

New York Democrat Congresswoman Ms Velazquez said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi has made it clear that immigration legislation should first be passed by the US Senate, before going to the House.

The “Friends of Irelandâ€

Nydia Margarita Velázquez (born March 28, 1953) is a Puerto Rican American politician who has represented New York's 12th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives since 1993.

I live in the 12th district. The demographics here are rapidly changing and I predict that the district will have to be gerrymandered AGAIN to allow her to keep her seat.