President Sean Pender encourages nationally elected and appointed officers to engage with State, County and Division leadership. We will create opportunities for remote and in-person meetings with Immigration Chairs and members on key topics, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Pender will coordinate engagement with the White House, Congress and Ireland\u2019s Oireachtas on Immigration and other AOH issues. The AOH supports legislation to restore a reasonable quota for Irish immigrants\u2019 visas, pushing for \u2018modular reform,\u2019 as each country has a distinct relationship with the U.S. State Department and through U.S. Trade agreements. For over 250 years, Ireland has made a significant contribution to America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Education on Irish Immigration begins with the AOH Preamble and Motto, which requires us to look beyond long-held misconceptions about Irish immigrants. Our pledge to protect and defend Irish and Catholic immigrants has never changed. When we say \u201cundocumented\u201d instead of \u201cillegal\u201d regarding Irish immigrants, there is a valid reason: The vast majority of Irish immigrants come here legally through the Visa Waiver Program work visas, H1B visas, and other short-term visas. We discourage visa overstays due to serious consequences, including potential 10-year bans. The number of undocumented Irish immigrants has diminished over the years, with many long-standing contributors to our communities. Ireland receives about 100 green cards from the annual Diversity Visa Green Card lottery, and Irish Immigration Centers assist others in adjusting their status legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to remind officials of Ireland\u2019s contributions and promote Ray O\u2019Hanlon\u2019s book, Unintended Consequences, as a valuable resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can find a local Irish Immigration Center at www.ciic-usa.org. Your support at these centers is welcome, and I encourage everyone to get involved for mutual benefit.<\/p>\n