Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
23. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress in assisting the undocumented in the United States of America; and the strategy to resolve the issues with the authorities in the United States of America. [11927/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Taoiseach and I have prioritised the issue of Irish immigration in the United States since taking office and the issue of the undocumented Irish remains a high priority for the Government. We have both continuously raised immigration issues in interactions with the US Administration and political leaders, most recently by the Taoiseach during his St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House in March. The Government Envoy to the US Congress on the Undocumented, Deputy John Deasy, has also worked closely on this issue with this Department, engaging with key US stakeholders. In his role as Senator for the Diaspora, Billy Lawless has also played an important role in raising these issues, as recently as December, when he and other members of the Oireachtas visited the United States.
In the US, Irish officials continue to engage and advocate on behalf of this vulnerable community. Officials in my Department, including our Embassy in Washington, D.C. and our seven Consulates General across the US, are monitoring the situation closely and are continuing to actively support Irish community groups that work with undocumented Irish citizens. They engage with US officials on immigration issues on an ongoing basis, including with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Our Mission network also works closely with the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres in the US, which, together with its member organisations, provides support and information to vulnerable Irish and the undocumented. This regular engagement has continued virtually in recent months due to social distancing restrictions.
The Coalition and its member organisations receive significant annual funding through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme for their work. In 2019 alone, over €3m ($3.7m) was allocated to 76 organisations across the US, including those that provide frontline welfare assistance to Irish citizens. Furthermore, in response to the pandemic, a dedicated COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad has been set up within my Department to help these organisations meet the needs of those who have recently been made particularly vulnerable. Last month, I met virtually with several organisations in New York which, with the assistance of this Fund, are providing much needed emergency support to Irish communities.
This Government has also been engaged on securing future pathways for immigration, primarily through the E3 Visa Bill, which has been passed in the House of Representatives and is currently before the Senate. If passed, this could open up approx. 4,000 US visas per year to Irish graduates. This approach complements Government support to the undocumented Irish living in the US.
In the current context, there is increasing demand in the United States for comprehensive immigration reform. While we recognise that this is an extremely complex issue, our Embassy in Washington D.C., supported by our Consulates General across the United States, continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to engage with any Federal and State initiatives on immigration reform.
