Irish Immigrants in Western Washington who need assistance of any kind, whether because of drug
or alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, work problems, family issues, visa problems, problems with the INS
or the Police - whatever the problem, free advice and referral assistance are available by calling
Toll-Free 1-877-517-3559
or by emailingSIISG@irishclub.org. No questions will be asked that you don't want to answer, and
complete confidentiality is promised.
THE H-1B VISA CAP FOR 2012 HAS ALMOST BEEN REACHED.
An H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. If you don't file your H-1B visa with
Immigration before the cap has been reached, then you will have to wait until April 2012 before
you can next file, meaning you will not be able to utilize the visa until October 1, 2012.
Don't procastinate and file your H-1B visa immediately. Remember you can self petition under the
H-1B visa if you don't have an employer.
For more information, contact attorney Caro Kinsella.
IRISH SENIOR LUNCHEONS
We organize regular Irish Senior Luncheons throughout the year in the Seattle area and all Irish
Seniors
(you do know if you're Irish, right? and you do know if you are a Senior, right?) and their
spouses or significant others are invited to attend at a special reduced price.
The NEXT IRISH SENIOR LUNCHEON is our Christmas Luncheon scheduled for NOON on
Saturday, December 3,
2011, at F X McRory's Restaurant in downtown Seattle.
The subsidized cost for the sit-down luncheon remains $10 per person, and all who consider
themselves to be Irish and senior are very welcome. Doors open at 11:45 am and lunch will be
served starting at approximately 12:30 pm. Expect Daidí na Nollag (Father Christmas), Irish
Music and Singing, great Door Prizes, and a large crowd, so early reservations are advised.
Contact
Seniors@irishclub.org or 425-290-7839 to make a reservation!
So far in 2011, we've had luncheons on Friday, March 17 (about 140 attended -
see list of attendees and their places of birth), on
Saturday, June 24 (about 100 attended - see list of attendees and their places
of birth), and on
Saturday, September 24 (another 100 attended - see list of attendees and their places
of birth). Note: not all of those who attended are listed as we often have a few walk-ins!
November, 2009, IRISH SENIORS' LUNCHEON
On Saturday, November 6, at the Wilde Rover
Irish Restaurant in Kirkland, all Irish seniors were luncheon guests of the Wilde Rover Restaurant, courtesy of proprietor Billy Whelan and his partners. Click the above photo to see a many more! Thanks for a great lunch and a great event, Billy!
September 2009 Irish Seniors' Luncheon Click above for photos taken when 150 Irish-born Seniors and their spouses enjoyed a salmon luncheon and great company at Assumption Church Hall in Seattle on September 19, 2009. Click to see the Luncheon Program listing the names and counties of those who attended.
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION REFORM CAMPAIGN
Seattle's Irish Immigrant Support Group has joined the Reform Immigration For America Campaign which has launched a nationwide effort to bring "together individuals and grassroots organizations with the mission to build support for workable comprehensive immigration reform." The campaign is being led by various labor, policy, and activist groups such as the AFL-CIO, the Services Employees International Union, the NAACP, the Center for American Progress, the National Immigration Forum, and the National Council of La Raza. Leaders from these groups announced the campaign on June 3 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Momentum is growing for the government to address this issue. A new poll has found that nearly two-thirds (64 percent) support comprehensive reform. But when given specific details of what that reform entails -- including securing the border, cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants, requiring immigrants to register for status, pay back taxes, and learn English -- 86 percent offered their support. Moreover, the poll respondents perceived "an economic and fiscal benefit to immigration reform and want Congress to address the economy and immigration reform simultaneously."
Please contact your Senators and Members of Congress to urge support for the campaign, and also encourage your friends to do likewise. Click here for the
name, phone #, and email contact information for
Washington State's Senators and Members of Congress.
ST. PATRICK'S DAY IRISH SENIORS' LUNCHEON March 17 2009, Irish Seniors' Luncheon
Click for photos taken when 150 Irish-born Seniors and their spouses attended a St. Patrick's Day luncheon at F X McRory's Restaurant in downtown Seattle. All Irish-born Seniors attended as guests of the Irish Immigrant Support Group.
APRIL 2008 IRISH SENIORS' LUNCHEON APRIL 12 2008 - IRISH SENIORS' LUNCHEON
Click for photos taken when over 100 Irish-born Seniors and their spouses attended a luncheon at the Wilde Rover Restaurant in Kirkland (www.wilderover.com) on Saturday, April 12. This was an opportunity for older Irish to connect with others who also grew up in Ireland, especially those who, because of the passing of family members, coupled with time, distance, cost and age, may have diminished contact with Ireland.
• In 2005, Ireland received 76 lottery visas to the US, out of a global total of 50,000.
• In 2005, Ireland received 2,083 US Green Cards in total from a global total of 1,122,373.
• There are an estimated 25-50,000 undocumented Irish immigrants in the US.
We continue to support comprehensive immigration reform even though the issue now appears to be dead until after the November 2008 election. The Irish government has made clear that legalizing the Irish in America is a top priority for the new Irish government.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONTACT CONGRESS
It is vital that you let your legislator know that you support the undocumented Irish. The anti-immigration faction makes several calls a days. We need to make more calls and make sure our voices heard.
Your Representatives and Senators need to hear from you.
Let them know people in their state support the Irish undocumented and support immigration reform. You can contact them by phone, fax and email. Please follow the links to get the details for your representatives.
Please contact your
Senators and Members of Congress by email or regular
mail, and urge them to support comprehensive immigration
reform legislation in the US Senate and House.
Click here for the
name, phone #, and email contact information for
Washington State's Senators and Members of Congress.
Tell them that we must establish a safe and humane
immigration system, one that is worthy of a great
country such as the US. We must deal humanely and
fairly with the 11 million immigrants who are in the
US illegally. The Irish community across the US
and even the Irish government favors comprehensive immigration reform legislation, believing it would help the situation of the
approximately 25,000 Irish-born people who are in
the US illegally.
Members of Seattle's Irish Immigrant Support Group
at the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers Conference in Seattle on April 14, 2007, with Seamus Carroll from the Irish Abroad Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. From left: Barbara Birney, Camilla Barrett, Melissa Estelle, Mary Charles, Seamus Carroll, Eddie McLoughlin, Jim Cummins, John Keane. ___________________________________
Seattle Irish
Immigrant Support Group
P.O. Box 75123, Seattle WA 98175-0123 www.irishseattle.com
The Irish
Immigration Pastoral Center in San Francisco will
also assist and advise all Irish immigrants,
including those in Washington or Oregon. Feel free
to contact them via email or telephone.
Their contact information is as follows:
IRISH IMMIGRATION PASTORAL CENTER
5340 GEARY BLVD, # 205
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121
TEL: 415-752-6006
FAX: 415-752-6910
Email: IIPC@PACBELL.NET
Website: WWW.SFIIPC.ORG
IMMIGRANT RESOURCES
