We want to thank all of you for your advocacy efforts over the years.  Although we haven't reached our goal of comprehensive immigration reform, we will at least see some administrative relief for our immigrant communities due to President Obama's Executive Action.

The Irish Apostolate USA is pleased to work with the Irish Embassy and Consulates,the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, AOH/LAOH and other Irish organizations in providing information and education for our Irish communities across the United States.

Public Information meetings for the Irish communities are already beginning this week in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Boston and San Francisco.  A complete listing of the meetings can be found here. 

We understand that many in the community will be disappointed that they do not meet the eligibility requirements for administrative relief.  The IAUSA along with our colleagues will not stop advocating on their behalf until CIR legislation is passed.

Bishop Kirby welcomes Presidents Obama's decision on behalf of the 'undocumented' Irish living in the USA

Bishop Kirby said "I welcome President Obama's change in the deportation system.  The President's Immigration Accountability Executive Actions serve to underline the complexity of the problems surrounding migration."

Bishop Kirby continued, "Drawing from our pastoral experience, Irish bishops are acutely aware of the human impact on families when relatives are unable to travel to Ireland to see their loved ones, and in particular to visit their aging parents.  Our undocumented emigrants have faced great personal turmoil and pain as they have been prevented from participating in key moments of family life back home such as baptisms, marriages and when a loved one is seriously ill or has died.  Their family life existence in the United States has similarly been curtailed by being placed under the daily stress of constant fear of arrest and deportation.  The quality of life of the children of our undocumented living in the US has been particularly compromised in this regard.

"The care for migrants/people on the move is given a particular significance by Pope Francis in his message for 'World Day for Migrants and Refugees' for 18 January next when he says, 'It is necessary to respond to the globalization of migration with the globalization of charity and cooperation, in such a way as to make the conditions of migrants more humane.'

"I wish to express my gratitude to the members of the Irish Apostolate USA who are the active arm of the Bishops' Council for Emigrants in the United States.  The Irish Apostolate has worked tirelessly on behalf of our undocumented.  The staff offer pastoral care for the undocumented on a daily basis, and also advocate tirelessly on their behalf.  At this time I wish to thank successive Irish governments for their support over many years on this issue and emigrant support more generally," Bishop Kirby said.

Administrative Relief that may help some of the Undocumented Irish