‘WE CAN WIN THIS’ Morrison Says Battle Can Be Won

Former Congressman Bruce Morrison says immigration reform can become a reality this year if the Irish keep up the fight.

By Georgina Brennan

FORMER Congressman Bruce Morrison, creator of the Morrison visas in the early 1990s, says both parties in Congress are now under pressure to pass immigration reform that the lobbying efforts must be stepped up in the weeks ahead.

Morrison was speaking to over 250 supporters of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) at the Irish American Center in Mineola, Long Island last Saturday night.

Morrison said the Irish brought a passion to the debate that was attracting much attention.

“You have made a difference, believe me,” he said “and you need to keep making that difference. Just a few months ago at your inaugural meeting I said it looks like a very tough fight, now I’m here to tell you it can be won. I’m here to tell you that,” he said to loud applause.

“This isn’t about white or black. This is about every group who built this country being allowed to build it for the future.”

Morrison noted that a recent meeting at the White House excluded the two senators, John Cornyn and Jon Kyl, opposed to the Senate bill which includes a new guest worker program, and provisions for legalizing many of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

“That is significant and indicates Bush supports reform,” he said.

“The President is behind Hagel-Martinez,” added Morrison, the provision named after the two Republican senators which almost passed the senate last time and which would legalize the overwhelming majority of undocumented.

“The people are behind it too,” Morrison said. “The American people have figured it out. They support the Hagel/Martinez compromise by a large number. I think neither party can afford not to pass the bill.

“The American people want a solution. Both parties have to come to a deal I think before Memorial Day, I don’t see anybody winning in November for not voting on the bill,” he added.

Former New York State Assemblyman John Dearie said that the chances were good that a bill could be passed and signed into law this year.

“We need to keep those telephones hot. United we stand and united we will get there,” he said.

ILIR founder and Chairman Niall O’Dowd said one of the key figures in the debate is Long Island Republican Congressman Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and a co-author of the House bill passed last year which would criminalize the undocumented.

“My gut feeling is that we will get a bill out of the Senate. But the battle will be in the House and we will be very dependent on Pete King,” O’Dowd said to the crowd. “One of the reasons we came to Long Island was to tell you, the Irish American voters in Long Island to call Pete King and tell him we need his help.

“If this bill goes to conference we believe Pete King will be there and we need to make sure that he knows about us. We are looking at the death of many Irish American organizations in one generation if we don’t legalize the Irish now,” O’Dowd added.

ILIR co-founder and Vice Chairman Ciaran Staunton said the Irish lobby was vital in the fight to secure reform.

“When 3,000 of us went to Washington, one senator asked us how many Irish Americans were there. When we told him about 38 million he said he believed every one of them had called his office,” said Staunton to rapturous applause.

“We have made a huge impact. Everyone is talking about us. One Senator said, ‘Call off your dogs.’ I said, ‘Give them green cards and they will go away.’

“The mother of all battles will be in the House, but we are Irish, we have been to battles before. Every place we have been we have been successful. We are successful because we are dedicated,” said Staunton.

“When the House Senate conference begins, we will go to Washington again. It’s time for us to stand up and take on the anti-immigrants. If someone is insulting our immigrants living, they are insulting our immigrants dead.”

Staunton gave the stage over to three undocumented young Irish people. Mary Brennan, an undocumented nurse, talked about not being able to go to Ireland to bury her brother who was killed in a tragic car accident, as reported in last week’s Irish Voice.

“My mother was adamant about the fact that me and my brother should not go home. So we did not go and we had a Mass in St, Barnabas in The Bronx. It was so moving to see everyone there,” she said.

“Nobody should be in this situation. This can’t happen to another family. We need your help. Contact your senator, your representatives, and keep calling them,” she urged.

“The ILIR is the only hope for this,” said Samantha an undocumented bartender. “Mary is an inspiration to us. I was glad her mother encouraged her to stay here for the fight because I was terrified we would lose her if she left,” she added.

Samantha told the crowd that the anti-immigrant voices in America kept telling the undocumented to get on line for green cards.

“The Irish want to live and work in America. They are not criminals. There is a way we can make America secure and give visas to the Irish. They don’t want any harm to come to this country,” she said as the crowd erupted in applause.

As she left the podium Brian, an undocumented plumber, stepped up to ask for help in the fight for green cards for the Irish. “Everybody who knows people who know Peter King, call them, and tell them to call him and keep at him. If not, we have to go home,” Brian said.

One woman who works as a home help aide to a patient with Down Syndrome in Long Island told the ILIR volunteers that she came to the meeting for the hope it brought.

“What else can we do but hope that the Senate and House will pass a good bill. I think ILIR has made a huge difference in the debate,” she said.

Meanwhile, ILIR added 150 new supporters to its ranks on Saturday night with an informational meeting in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia GAA stalwart Eamonn Tohill cut short a golfing weekend in Lancaster to run the event which took place at Finnigan’s Wake in the Spring Garden district of the city.

ILIR Executive Director Kelly Fincham who traveled down from New York for the event. She advised the crowd to “let your fingers do the marching”, by calling Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter and asking him to legalize the Irish.