'They cannot just give up the lives they have built there. They would lose everything'

The plight of the undocumented Irish in the US can be very difficult at times.

Here in Meath many of us know neighbours and friends who have made their lives in America, but have never been able to come home, even for family funerals.

Meath West TD Johnny Guirke is more familiar than most with the Meath and Irish diaspora in the US and Boston in particular, where he lived and worked for 18 years.

While he was there legally with a Morrison visa, there were many of his colleagues and friends there that were living below the radar.

“I still know people – many of them from Meath - who have been there 20, 25 or 30 years and have missed funerals of mother, fathers, brothers, sisters – it is heartbreaking.”

During his time in the states, Johnny was active in campaigning for the undocumented Irish and he is now part of a committee formed to fight for recognition for those without status in the US.

He raised the issue in the Dáil recently, urging the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin to take the matter up with US President, Joe Biden during their virtual St Patrick's Day meeting.

“Sinn Fein has set up a committee to campaign for the undocumented Irish and will work with all parties and groups,” he explained.

“The current administration is possibly the best chance we will have – a Democrat as president, a Democratic House and Senate. Any help we have ever got, like the Donnelly, Morrison or Walsh visas came through the Democrats,” he says.

The Donnelly, Morrison and Walsh visas were where the US government made tens of thousands of visas available to Ireland through a lottery system.

It is estimated that there are up to 50,000 undocumented Irish in the US and 11 million undocumented migrants altogether.

“President Biden has already put a bill through which is aimed at all the undocumented, but these things can be very slow.

“We are looking at visas granted to Australia that haven't been taken up and we are trying to get them allocated to the Irish,” he said.

“It was on the agenda before but was blocked, so we are trying to get it on the agenda again.”

Johnny is all too familiar with the Irish in the US, having spent 18 years working and raising his family in Boston.

“I was one of the lucky ones, I got a Morrison visa, a green card and then citizenship.

“I went over in 1988 and worked in construction for 18 years.”

Johnny met his wife Mary, a Kerrywoman when they were in the US. She was also one of the lucky ones, having secured a Donnelly visa.

All their children were born in the US and they returned to Ireland in 2005 when their eldest was eight. “We decided to come home at that time, because if we left it any longer, the children mightn't want to come with us. We are glad to come home and the schools here are great.”

Johnny played for the Kerry Gaelic team in Boston and later formed the Aidan McEnespie Football Club there and was very involved with the Irish community.

“We were lucky, we were able to come home in 1993 to get married, but for so many of the undocumented this was not the case.

“I know people who have been over there 25 years. When their parents died, they didn't get to come home, brothers and sisters have died and they couldn't get to the funerals.

“They have never committed a crime, they work hard and make the country better, but they cannot risk coming home for visits, weddings or funerals.

“A lot of them are from Meath. One man recently didn't get home when his brother died.”

Johnny explains that people have been over there for decades, have jobs and families and travelling home would leave them unable to re-enter the US.

“They cannot just give up the lives they have built there. They would lose everything.

“Not being able to get home is heartbreaking, but there are other problems they face too. Since 9/11, security has got tighter and it has become difficult to get a driving licence or a mortgage.

“They don't get social security and they are always looking over their shoulders.

“They can face huge healthcare bills if they get sick”

“Everything is just so much harder for them.

“I will be doing everything I can to ensure that their positions are regularised in the US, so they have a chance of a more secure life.

“We have committee members living in the States who have been in contact with congressmen and senators all over the country, looking for their support.

“This is the right time for our campaign, we have a good chance with the current administration and we will do our best for them,” he said.