Links
- Irish Aires Home Page
- IA Houston Links
- IA Links Page
- IA News Links
- Irish Aires Archived
- IA Email Lists
- Irish Aires Blog
- IAUC
Archives
- October 2004
- November 2004
- December 2004
- January 2005
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- February 2009
- April 2009
- May 2009
- January 2010
- April 2011
- May 2011
- June 2011
- July 2011
- August 2011
- February 2012
News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)
May 28, 2008
New Groups Aims To Resolve Status
http://irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=18732
New Group Aims To Resolve Status
May 28, 2008 A group of former IRA prisoners now living in the
United States is launching a campaign to bring a permanent
resolution to their legal status.
Irish American Unity Conference president Kate McCabe, Ancient
Order of Hibernians president Jack Meehan, and Irish Northern Aid
president Paul Doris declared in a statement their "enthusiastic
support" for the newly formed group, "Thar Saile," which means
"overseas" in Irish.
Paul Harkin, vice president of the IAUC and a former prisoner,
announced the formation of Thar Saile late last week.
The group is made up of former prisoners, many of who have faced
deportation but who have otherwise been living, working, and
raising families in the U.S. within the parameters of the law for
decades.
Some are married to American wives and are the fathers of
American born children.
"In one of his last acts before leaving office in 2000, President
Clinton announced that deportation proceedings against these men
would be halted and they would move into 'deferred action'
status," the group said in its statement.
"This action was hailed both as a victory for the Irish American
community and as a part of the peace dividend for those
courageously working to end the ongoing conflict in the north of
Ireland. It has become clear, however, that this remains
unfinished business," the statement added
"The status of these men is unclear and ambiguous," said Harkin.
"We cannot travel back to Ireland to visit family; work permit
renewals are an ongoing problem, frequently jeopardizing
employment; and the deferred action umbrella did not cover all of
the former prisoners in the U.S., some of whom are still living
in the shadows."
In conjunction with the formation of Thar Saile, The IAUC has
released a document entitled "Prisoners of Peace."
This document makes the case that reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace process.
"Ironically, in the north of Ireland, former prisoners are
holding elected office and working together to build a new
society. Only in the U.S. is their status still unresolved," the
Thar Saile statement said.
It added that the objective of Thar Saile was to end the
uncertainty for the men and their families by providing them with
a permanent legal status and the right to live, work, and travel
unencumbered.
"Thar Saile will launch a broad-based education and communication
campaign around this issue and will work with their supporters
around the U.S. to bring this issue to the attention of all major
political candidates." The statement concluded.
This story appeared in the issue of May 28-June 3, 2008
New Group Aims To Resolve Status
May 28, 2008 A group of former IRA prisoners now living in the
United States is launching a campaign to bring a permanent
resolution to their legal status.
Irish American Unity Conference president Kate McCabe, Ancient
Order of Hibernians president Jack Meehan, and Irish Northern Aid
president Paul Doris declared in a statement their "enthusiastic
support" for the newly formed group, "Thar Saile," which means
"overseas" in Irish.
Paul Harkin, vice president of the IAUC and a former prisoner,
announced the formation of Thar Saile late last week.
The group is made up of former prisoners, many of who have faced
deportation but who have otherwise been living, working, and
raising families in the U.S. within the parameters of the law for
decades.
Some are married to American wives and are the fathers of
American born children.
"In one of his last acts before leaving office in 2000, President
Clinton announced that deportation proceedings against these men
would be halted and they would move into 'deferred action'
status," the group said in its statement.
"This action was hailed both as a victory for the Irish American
community and as a part of the peace dividend for those
courageously working to end the ongoing conflict in the north of
Ireland. It has become clear, however, that this remains
unfinished business," the statement added
"The status of these men is unclear and ambiguous," said Harkin.
"We cannot travel back to Ireland to visit family; work permit
renewals are an ongoing problem, frequently jeopardizing
employment; and the deferred action umbrella did not cover all of
the former prisoners in the U.S., some of whom are still living
in the shadows."
In conjunction with the formation of Thar Saile, The IAUC has
released a document entitled "Prisoners of Peace."
This document makes the case that reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace process.
"Ironically, in the north of Ireland, former prisoners are
holding elected office and working together to build a new
society. Only in the U.S. is their status still unresolved," the
Thar Saile statement said.
It added that the objective of Thar Saile was to end the
uncertainty for the men and their families by providing them with
a permanent legal status and the right to live, work, and travel
unencumbered.
"Thar Saile will launch a broad-based education and communication
campaign around this issue and will work with their supporters
around the U.S. to bring this issue to the attention of all major
political candidates." The statement concluded.
This story appeared in the issue of May 28-June 3, 2008
