Ministers urged to raise situation of Irish immigrants in US
15/03/2005 - 07:52:27Fine Gael TD Michael Ring has urged government ministers travelling to the US for this year's St Patrick's Say celebrations to raise the situation of illegal Irish immigrants.
Many of these immigrants, who are living and working in the US without permission, have been arrested and kept in prison for weeks before being deported to Ireland.
Mr Ring claimed many were also too afraid to return to Ireland for family funerals or other events because they would not be allowed back into the US afterwards.
"Something has to be done," he said. "They're not criminals…They're people who want to live in America, want to work in America and have loved ones in America."
