Minister Warns Against Emigrating To US Without Visa

With the spectre of mass emigration looming large over Ireland once more, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has sounded a word of caution to those considering coming to the United States without a proper visa.

"It is not worth it in terms of quality of life and employment," he told the Dail last week.

Minister Martin said while it might seem initially attractive and people might think they would get by, there was stress and distress for some people, even those who had been in the US for a decade.

"I am very much aware of the difficulties confronting undocumented Irish citizens in the United States and the distress which both they and their families in the US and Ireland experience," he said.

"I urge anybody who might be tempted to follow in the footsteps of the undocumented to take account of their plight."

He was responding to a question from Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton, who said he had been contacted by a woman in Washington who is undocumented, but wished to return home to attend her mother's funeral in Dublin.

"We cannot give advice to people in those positions," Minister Martin said, "Many people have returned to Ireland and not made it back to the US, with all the consequent chaos and dislocation brought to their lives."

Mr Martin said finding a solution for undocumented Irish citizens in the US remains an important priority for the Government.

He said senior officials from his Department had held talks in Washington as recently as last Monday on the issue of Irish immigration to the US.

They discussed the issue of the undocumented, the conditions in which Irish citizens are held prior to deportation, the operation of the existing working holiday visa programs and possibilities for political agreement on immigration reform after the midterm election results.

Deputy Connaughton said he believed we were further away from a comprehensive solution to the issue following the US Congressional elections.

"Before those elections we were not that close either, if we are to be honest," Minister Martin said, pointing out that the economic and political context was making it difficult for legislators in the US who wished to pursue reform.

"It is a challenging issue and I have not seen anything in the elections that will change the matter."