Irish government warns undocumented not to return home at Christmas

Posted By: November 24, 2014

James O'Shea @irishcentral November 24,2014 

Fears that some undocumented Irish will be stranded at home if they return for the
holidays. 
Irish immigration groups and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan are warning
Irish immigrants who are undocumented not to return home for Christmas as the Obama
executive order documents will not be available until spring 2015 at the earliest. 
In a tweet on Sunday Minister Flanagan stated:
Kieran O’Sullivan, a counsellor at the Irish Pastoral Centre in Boston told the
Irish Times that undocumented returning home for Christmas would be making a major
mistake.

“I’ve heard from people who are thinking of going home to Ireland for the holidays
and family events,” he said.

“We have issued a general note of caution on such travel and the point we want to
make is that anyone about to leave the USA should first speak to an immigration
attorney.

“Leaving the US carries great risk if an individual does not consult an experienced
immigration attorney,” said the pastoral center.

In order to travel to Ireland undocumented would need the Employment Document
Authorization (EDA), which will be given out by the Obama administration after
background checks and a cleared application.

With that in hand they will need advanced parole, given on humanitarian grounds when
the person can show difficult circumstances back home such as an illness or funeral.
The rules covering advanced parole will also be issued next year.

At this point there is no definitive date for the issuance of the EDAs and the
advanced parole documents, but experts say it will take at least nine months if not
longer.

To qualify for the EDA undocumented must prove that they have:

- have a U.S. citizen or LPR (Legal permanent resident) child as of November 20, 2014
-  continuously resided in the United States since before January 1, 2010
- are physically present in the United States on November 20, 2014 and at the time
of applying
- have no lawful immigration status on November 20, 2014.

Undocumented immigrants with questions can contact centers run by the Irish
Apostolate USA, which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, in Boston,
New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Ocean City, Milwaukee, Baltimore, San Diego and
Chicago for more information.