‘Worrying time for Irish in US' as Trump makes good on illegals promise
Ciaran Staunton, head of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, said the recent deportation of thousands of undocumented people from the US is not just confined to immigrants from Central and South America.
Mr Staunton is campaigning to legalise the status of the undocumented Irish in the US. Mr Staunton is campaigning to legalise the status of the undocumented Irish in the US. Pic: Rolling News
He said: 'It's a worrying time because Donald Trump told his voters he would remove all undocumented persons or illegal immigrants prior to his election last November, and now he is sending out a message that he's following up on that promise.
'This has become a big media story with criminal aliens being lined up before the cameras to show that the president is honouring his word. Some of those detained were actually arrested in courthouses while facing prosecutions for crime.'
The comments come after it emerged 56 undocumented Irish people have been arrested and 43 of them have been deported. The arrests were in New York, Boston and New Jersey and are believed to be focused on Irish visitors to America who overstayed their 90-day visa waiver. Mr Staunton, who emigrated to New York from Westport, County Mayo, in the early 1980s, said Mr Trump has to play to his Republican Party base, as the midterm elections to the US House of Representatives will take place in November next year. Pic: File
Mr Staunton, who emigrated to New York from Westport, County Mayo, in the early 1980s, said Mr Trump has to play to his Republican Party base, as the midterm elections to the US House of Representatives will take place in November next year.
If the Republicans lose control of the House and the Senate in the elections, Trump will struggle to pass legislation for the remaining two years of his second presidential term.
Mr Staunton said: 'Even though Trump is doing what he promised, there are signs emerging of a backlash from his hardcore support group. In red States such as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, Republican farmers are becoming increasingly unhappy. If the Republicans lose control of the House and the Senate in the elections, Trump will struggle to pass legislation for the remaining two years of his second presidential term. Pic:'Where once they had a steady supply of Hispanic labour to pick fruit, or abattoirs had people to cut meat or do jobs that entailed getting your hands dirty, that source of personnel has started to dry up, and these are jobs the average American will not do.'
Somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 undocumented Irish people are estimated to be living in the US. Most of them moved there in the 1980s when unemployment in Ireland reached a high of 17% in 1986.
The US government clamped down on casual immigration following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, and anyone who overstays a 90-day visa waiver faces severe consequences.
The situation has been made all the more complicated for the Irish who emigrated in the 1980s and do not have legal status. Now, 40 years or so later, they cannot return to Ireland even for the funeral of a parent, as to do so will result in an automatic ban on re-entering the States.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
4 hours ago
- The Journal
American citizen killed in the West Bank died from arson by Israeli settlers, his family say
THE US STATE Department has confirmed an American citizen had died this week in the West Bank, with family and Palestinian officials attributing his death to arson by Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Authority and witnesses reported on Thursday that Israeli settlers had set fire to homes and cars in the West Bank village of Silwad, the latest attack in the occupied territory. Khamis Ayyad, 41, died from smoke inhalation due to the fires, the Palestinian health ministry said. Speaking yesterday at a press conference in Chicago, Ayyad's family said he had moved to the West Bank several years ago with his wife and children, but continued to work for an American company. He is at least the second American citizen killed in West Bank settler violence in July, after a 20-year-old man was beaten to death while visiting family in the town of Sinjil. Advertisement Abdul Latif Ayyad mourns over the body of his uncle at his funeral in the West Bank village of Silwad, near Ramallah. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, demanded Israel investigate that killing, calling it a 'criminal and terrorist act,' but has yet to comment on the death of Ayyad. Contacted by news agency AFP, the Israeli military said 'several suspects… set fire to property and vehicles in the Silwad area,' but forces dispatched to the scene were unable to identify them. It added that Israeli police had launched an investigation. Asked for comment on the latest death, a State Department spokesperson said 'we can confirm the death of a US citizen in the town of Silwad in the West Bank,' without naming Ayyad. 'We condemn criminal violence by any party in the West Bank,' the spokesperson said, on condition of anonymity. The West Bank is home to some three million Palestinians, who live alongside about 500,000 Israeli settlers.
Agriland
5 hours ago
- Agriland
Tanaiste Outlines Steps Govt Taking in Mercosur Negotiations
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris has said that he has discussed international trade developments, including the Mercosur agreement, with his counterparts from France and Germany, among others. The Tánaiste was asked about the steps he is taking to protect environmental and agricultural interests in the Mercosur trade negotiations by Social Democrats TD, Sinéad Gibney yesterday (July 10). According to the Tánaiste, EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) support more opportunity for trade and investment, help support jobs and growth at home, maintain strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and support better environmental and human rights standards around the world. He said: "The government is committed to supporting free, fair and open trade. Indeed, recent developments in the global trading environment have highlighted the importance of market diversification via an expanded set of EU free trade agreements. "We have always been clear, that such agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors and that our farmers' livelihoods must not be undermined through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries." "Our position is clearly outlined in the Programme for Government, which states that the government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal," The Tánaiste explained. The Tánaiste claims, that during trade negotiations, the government has always been guided by "standing up for and defending the interests of Irish farmers", along with securing enhanced market access opportunities for them and Irish agri-food exports. He explained: "Since the commission announced the conclusion of negotiations, officials from my department and other departments, have been working together to carefully analyse the text of the additional legal instrument addressing sustainability commitments. "I and my officials have continued to engage at EU level, with both the European Commission and with counterparts in EU Member States, including like-minded countries, to voice our concerns with the agreement and to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed." "In recent weeks and months, I have discussed international trade developments including the Mercosur agreement with my counterparts from France and Germany, among others," the Tánaiste added. The Tánaiste highlighted that the government is still awaiting the European Commission's presentation of the final, consolidated agreement. He explained that engagements with the European Commission are ongoing as the government seeks "sufficient clarification" on the priority areas in advance of any final decision on the agreement.
Agriland
5 hours ago
- Agriland
Watch Mercosur Deal Will Not Destroy Eu Agriculture Costa
The President of the European Council has said that the EU-Mercosur trade deal will not destroy European agriculture. Speaking in the European Parliament this morning, president Antonio Costa urged EU countries to 'move forward and sign' the Mercosur deal by the end of the year. Last December a political agreement was reached between the EU and the founding members of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). But the deal still needs to be ratified by EU member countries including Ireland which is concerned about its potential impact on Irish agriculture and the environment. The European Council, guided by unity in the diversity of our nations, works hand in hand with the Commission and this Parliament. Together we are strengthening our defence, reinforcing our competitiveness, and defending our values and interests globally. — António Costa (@eucopresident) July 9, 2025 Today President Costa told MEPs the EU should focus on the 'long-term benefits' of the deal for Europe. "The Mercosur agreement's quota for beef represents 1.6%, I repeat... 1.6% of the total European beef production," Costa said. "This is also less than half of our current imports from Mercosur. This will simply not be able to destroy European agriculture. "If we want to export our social and environmental standards, the way to do this is through trade agreements because tariffs don't spread standards, trade agreements do. "This is the message that Europe should send to the world, while others raise barriers, we build bridges, so let's move forward and sign the Mercosur agreement by the end of this year " he added. Amidst ongoing discussions around the EU-Mercosur trade deal, a recent report showed that EU-Mercosur trade was 'up substantially in the last decade'. The report from Eurostat outlined that, in 2024, the EU imported €56 billion-worth of goods, a 4.2% increase on 2023. The EU also exported €55.2 billion-worth of goods to the four countries last year – a 1.3% decrease compared to 2023 exports. According to the report, in 2024, the largest Mercosur partner measured by its share in total EU trade – both imports and exports – was Brazil followed by Argentina. The controversial Mercosur trade agreement would allow an additional 99,000t of beef enter the EU tariff-free from Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. The political agreement will open up the EU market to goods from Mercosur, but limits imports from those countries of 'sensitive agricultural products' such as beef, ethanol, pork, honey, sugar and poultry. The Tánaiste has confirmed that 'engagements' are continuing with the European Commission over the Mercosur trade deal and that the government will seek 'sufficient clarification' on priority areas before any final decision on the deal.
