US President Barack Obama referred to the number of illegal Irish immigrants in his hometown of Chicago during a high-profile speech kicking off his campaign to sell his new immigration changes to the American public.
Calling for legislation to be passed overhauling a "broken" immigration system, Mr Obama told an audience at a Las Vegas high school that this was "not just a Latino issue – this is an American issue."
“I am from Chicago – we’ve got some Irish immigrants whose papers are not in order; we’ve got some Polish immigrants whose papers are not in order; we’ve got some Ukrainian folks,” he said.
The president evoked the tradition of European emigrants crossing the Atlantic to a “nation of immigrants,” including Irish and those fleeing famine, in making his case for legislative action.
Mr Obama urged Republicans to look beyond the orders he unveiled last night that will shield five million illegal immigrants, including thousands of Irish, from deportation.
“Pass a bill,” he said repeatedly to chants, urging his political opponents to create a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented.
The president was interrupted by a young man heckling his objections at the exclusion of some undocumented immigrants from his protections against deportation.
“I hear you,” he said, “and what I am saying is that we are still going to have to pass a bill - this is just a first step, it’s not the only step.”
The Irish Government praised Mr Obama's actions noting how they will allow undocumented Irish to visit home under temporary measures while permanent solutions are considered.
“It is important that people would have the opportunity to come home during the course of the pathway to citizenship being developed,” Taoiseach Enda Kenny said on a visit to Cork.
Mr Obama’s orders will grant four million undocumented parents of US citizens and legal residents legal status through a reprieve from deportation. Another million will be legalised under other measures.
Mr Obama announced the executive orders – discretionary actions a president can make in absence of legislation passed by Congress – in a televised address last night.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan and Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan applauded his actions, calling the measures a first step towards more comprehensive solutions through legislation.
Mr Obama’s call for Republicans in Congress to pass broad legislation suffered a setback as the party opposed his solo actions.
Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said the president had damaged any chances for the Congress to work together to pass broader immigration reform.
“By this action the president has chosen to deliberately sabotage any chance of enacted bipartisan reforms that he claims to seek,” he said.
Speaking in Las Vegas, Mr Obama rubbished suggestions that he had sabotaged the chances of passing a bill.
“I didn’t dissolve parliament,” he said. “This is how our system works.”
Republicans accused the president of exceeding his authority and have threatened to challenge his reforms with possible legal action.
“We will not stand by as the president undermines the rule of law in our country and places lives at risk,” said Mr Boehner.
“We are working with our members and looking at the options that are available to use but I will say to you, the house will in fact act.”
