Comments on: Irish Immigration Control is a Disgrace http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/ Local stuff and other stuff from a blow-in Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:07:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Keola Donaghy http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-124489 Keola Donaghy Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:05:02 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-124489 Keola has moved on, went to New Zealand for his Ph.d., where he and his family were welcomed with open arms, and is probably better off for it. I had and have no desire to cause any trouble for anyone at Cork or even the one lying bastard in Dublin responsible for the whole fiasco. Nor do I hold the country or its laws responsible. I'll go back someday, as a visitor no doubt. Keola has moved on, went to New Zealand for his Ph.d., where he and his family were welcomed with open arms, and is probably better off for it.

I had and have no desire to cause any trouble for anyone at Cork or even the one lying bastard in Dublin responsible for the whole fiasco. Nor do I hold the country or its laws responsible. I’ll go back someday, as a visitor no doubt.

]]> By: Skipper http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-124488 Skipper Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:51:11 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-124488 Quote " At the same time as we’re blocking people like Keola from entering the country we have our Taoiseach asking the US Congress to rubber-stamp all the illegal Irish in the US! We have some neck." Keola was not blocked from entering Ireland. He was permitted in as a student, every student knows that the law states that students cannot have dependents. i feel sorry that this gentleman had a rough time in moving over and then the trouble of having to return but many students would like to have family members move with them but the law cannot be flexible. This gentleman says he was advised by cork immigration that it was ok for dependents to move with him, i hope ihe gave the name of the officer for costing him money and time. Quote ” At the same time as we’re blocking people like Keola from entering the country we have our Taoiseach asking the US Congress to rubber-stamp all the illegal Irish in the US! We have some neck.”

Keola was not blocked from entering Ireland.

He was permitted in as a student, every student knows that the law states that students cannot have dependents.

i feel sorry that this gentleman had a rough time in moving over and then the trouble of having to return but many students would like to have family members move with them but the law cannot be flexible.

This gentleman says he was advised by cork immigration that it was ok for dependents to move with him, i hope ihe gave the name of the officer for costing him money and time.

]]> By: Conor O'Neill http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-115293 Conor O'Neill Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:31:30 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-115293 Dan, the problem continues to be a complete inconsistency in the application and communication of the rules. Thanks for the link to Marina. At the same time as we're blocking people like Keola from entering the country we have our Taoiseach asking the US Congress to rubber-stamp all the illegal Irish in the US! We have some neck. Dan, the problem continues to be a complete inconsistency in the application and communication of the rules. Thanks for the link to Marina.

At the same time as we’re blocking people like Keola from entering the country we have our Taoiseach asking the US Congress to rubber-stamp all the illegal Irish in the US! We have some neck.

]]> By: dan http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-115277 dan Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:26:39 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-115277 It may sound disgusting to the family of Keola and to some concerned citizen; while being assured by the assured by the Gardaí in Cork and by UCC that there was no issue with him coming and in the end she was stopped at the airport. But in the side of the Irish immigration they are just pushing what is there rules/policy, although Keola had given the assurance it doesn't that her families are part of that assurance. All i have said is just a point of view and not an argument.. just to be fair for both sides.. Dan New York Immigration Lawyer Marina Shepelsky, located in Brooklyn, assists clients from the New York metro area and across the United States in all immigration and naturalization matters http://www.e-us-visa.com It may sound disgusting to the family of Keola and to some concerned citizen; while being assured by the assured by the Gardaí in Cork and by UCC that there was no issue with him coming and in the end she was stopped at the airport.

But in the side of the Irish immigration they are just pushing what is there rules/policy, although Keola had given the assurance it doesn’t that her families are part of that assurance.

All i have said is just a point of view and not an argument.. just to be fair for both sides..

Dan

New York Immigration Lawyer Marina Shepelsky, located in Brooklyn, assists clients from the New York metro area and across the United States in all immigration and naturalization matters

http://www.e-us-visa.com

]]> By: Mike http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-109403 Mike Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:51:10 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-109403 Children of non-EU students It has been decided by the Dept. of Justice, Equality & Law Reform that children of non-EEA/EU students who are currently enrolled in public schools will be allowed to stay in those schools to complete the current academic year. It is intended that at the end of the current academic year, children of non-EEA/EU students will not be allowed to enrol in public schools. Such children will be required to enrol in private fee paying schools. For information on primary and secondary schools in Ireland please see http://www.educationireland.ie/. Children of non-EU students
It has been decided by the Dept. of Justice, Equality & Law Reform that children of non-EEA/EU students who are currently enrolled in public schools will be allowed to stay in those schools to complete the current academic year.

It is intended that at the end of the current academic year, children of non-EEA/EU students will not be allowed to enrol in public schools. Such children will be required to enrol in private fee paying schools. For information on primary and secondary schools in Ireland please see http://www.educationireland.ie/.

]]> By: Bernie Goldbach http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-95163 Bernie Goldbach Sun, 21 Oct 2007 05:00:53 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-95163 I think you will be flagged and pulled aside for things you do when under the view of the passport control CCTV cameras. Don't expect to be told what you did to get yourself set aside for a one-month entry stamp. Just know that if you shift through papers, jump the queue or chat incessantly on your mobile phone while awaiting passport clearance, you're more likely to be stop-cocked by Irish immigration. I think you will be flagged and pulled aside for things you do when under the view of the passport control CCTV cameras. Don’t expect to be told what you did to get yourself set aside for a one-month entry stamp. Just know that if you shift through papers, jump the queue or chat incessantly on your mobile phone while awaiting passport clearance, you’re more likely to be stop-cocked by Irish immigration.

]]> By: Angela Whelan http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-95148 Angela Whelan Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:05:35 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-95148 My sister worked as a teacher in the UK for 2 years and made a few side trips to Ireland and various Euroepan Countries during her stay over there. We are a New Zealand family of Irish - Maori origins and always had pride in our Irish roots. My sister was treated quite badly at Dublin air port even though she had a UK work visa in her passport and proof of her proession and job in the UK as well as her return tickets to Birmingham. She was set aside and made to wait before being let in. On the other hand she noted that several Africans were let in with no questions asked of them and a Chinese girl throw a temper tantrum and verbally abuse the immigration officer and Irish people - the Chinese was allowed in. My sister was given a 1 month stamp. Ironically, as she sat aside she saw plane loads of Euroepans waved through and only superficial attention given to their documents. She felt insulted as you can imagine. She noted that in Dublin air port so many of the staff were non-Irish and that in Dublin the city seemed to be full of Africans and Chinese and Eastern Europeans. She told me that an Irish-American lady she spoke to (a lady in her 70s) was also poorly treated by Irish immigration after arriving from Boston. Maybe it is better to be Nigerian, Chinese or Polish in modern Ireland as they seem to be let in with no problems but no Irish immigration preferred to stop a Kiwi primary teacher and an old lady visiting her cousin. My sister worked as a teacher in the UK for 2 years and made a few side trips to Ireland and various Euroepan Countries during her stay over there. We are a New Zealand family of Irish – Maori origins and always had pride in our Irish roots. My sister was treated quite badly at Dublin air port even though she had a UK work visa in her passport and proof of her proession and job in the UK as well as her return tickets to Birmingham. She was set aside and made to wait before being let in. On the other hand she noted that several Africans were let in with no questions asked of them and a Chinese girl throw a temper tantrum and verbally abuse the immigration officer and Irish people – the Chinese was allowed in. My sister was given a 1 month stamp. Ironically, as she sat aside she saw plane loads of Euroepans waved through and only superficial attention given to their documents. She felt insulted as you can imagine. She noted that in Dublin air port so many of the staff were non-Irish and that in Dublin the city seemed to be full of Africans and Chinese and Eastern Europeans. She told me that an Irish-American lady she spoke to (a lady in her 70s) was also poorly treated by Irish immigration after arriving from Boston. Maybe it is better to be Nigerian, Chinese or Polish in modern Ireland as they seem to be let in with no problems but no Irish immigration preferred to stop a Kiwi primary teacher and an old lady visiting her cousin.

]]> By: M Buckley http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-93792 M Buckley Mon, 08 Oct 2007 09:53:40 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-93792 Anerican policy is no less stringent when applied to people from other continents. "We would still be scrabbling for rotting potatoes in muck..." I doubt it. The Irish dug their way across America in the past, making the railways. If you read "Rotha Mor and tSaoil" life there was quite difficult, generally. Things have changed a lot... Anerican policy is no less stringent when applied to people from other continents.

“We would still be scrabbling for rotting potatoes in muck…”

I doubt it. The Irish dug their way across America in the past, making the railways. If you read “Rotha Mor and tSaoil” life there was quite difficult, generally. Things have changed a lot…

]]> By: AlexiaBlogs » Blog Archive » Immigration Woes Mean Keola & Family Must Return to USA http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-93694 AlexiaBlogs » Blog Archive » Immigration Woes Mean Keola & Family Must Return to USA Sat, 06 Oct 2007 23:07:59 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-93694 [...] It’s cold comfort for Keola and his family, however, as they return to New York with an uncertain future. What will happen next? Can Keola easily return? What of his family? I’m with Conor, it is an embarrassing day to be Irish. [...] [...] It’s cold comfort for Keola and his family, however, as they return to New York with an uncertain future. What will happen next? Can Keola easily return? What of his family? I’m with Conor, it is an embarrassing day to be Irish. [...]

]]> By: Paul Jacobson http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91768 Paul Jacobson Sun, 16 Sep 2007 06:48:53 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91768 Man, what a disappointing chapter in this story. I listened to a couple of Bernie's podcast where Keola first called into find out about how best to enter Ireland with his family and then a follow up with positive answers to his questions. To now find out that he arrived in Ireland and was bounced back out again, with a notation that could prejudice him and his family again in the future, is a big disappointment. It must have been awful to pack up everything, make the trip, all the excitement about a new life and then have all of that come to a halt for some arbitrary reason. For what it is worth coming from a complete stranger at the tip of the African continent, I am sorry that happened to you and your family Keola. I hope that if I ever visit Ireland again I am not subjected to the same humiliation. Man, what a disappointing chapter in this story. I listened to a couple of Bernie’s podcast where Keola first called into find out about how best to enter Ireland with his family and then a follow up with positive answers to his questions. To now find out that he arrived in Ireland and was bounced back out again, with a notation that could prejudice him and his family again in the future, is a big disappointment. It must have been awful to pack up everything, make the trip, all the excitement about a new life and then have all of that come to a halt for some arbitrary reason.

For what it is worth coming from a complete stranger at the tip of the African continent, I am sorry that happened to you and your family Keola. I hope that if I ever visit Ireland again I am not subjected to the same humiliation.

]]> By: thomas_mahoney@hotmail.co.uk http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91563 thomas_mahoney@hotmail.co.uk Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:33:16 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91563 Keola, you should be grateful to the customs not allowing you to live in this shithole, consider yourself SO lucky! Keola, you should be grateful to the customs not allowing you to live in this shithole, consider yourself SO lucky!

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91451 conor Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:43:35 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91451 Labour Party on the ball. Press Release: http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/11896119264318827.html Labour Party on the ball. Press Release:

http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/11896119264318827.html

]]> By: Keola Donaghy http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91354 Keola Donaghy Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:30:45 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91354 Aloha Mike. I still appreciate your candor, but really don't feel up to continued forensic examination of what happened at Dublin. We're trying to remain positive and find a solution that will allow us to return and make sure that we are in full compliance. Things are happening at a few levels in Cork and Dublin that may help. While my optimism is diminishing hourly there are two many people that have and continue to make Herculean efforts on our behalf. To turn back now, to me, would be to let them down. We're hanging in there and hoping that their efforts bear fruit. If now, we will return to Hawai'i with ill will toward no one, including the immigration officer we encountered. Our affection for Ireland remains undiminished, and I would not even go so far as to rule out a future trips as visitors. Mahalo again. Aloha Mike. I still appreciate your candor, but really don’t feel up to continued forensic examination of what happened at Dublin. We’re trying to remain positive and find a solution that will allow us to return and make sure that we are in full compliance. Things are happening at a few levels in Cork and Dublin that may help. While my optimism is diminishing hourly there are two many people that have and continue to make Herculean efforts on our behalf. To turn back now, to me, would be to let them down. We’re hanging in there and hoping that their efforts bear fruit. If now, we will return to Hawai’i with ill will toward no one, including the immigration officer we encountered. Our affection for Ireland remains undiminished, and I would not even go so far as to rule out a future trips as visitors.

Mahalo again.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91351 conor Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:37:37 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91351 Of course Mike, how dare Keola tell the truth and assume the advice he had been given was correct. How dare he. In the interests of full disclosure Mike, are you in Brazil or are you running through a Brazilian anonymizer to mask your IP? Of course Mike, how dare Keola tell the truth and assume the advice he had been given was correct. How dare he.

In the interests of full disclosure Mike, are you in Brazil or are you running through a Brazilian anonymizer to mask your IP?

]]> By: mike http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91350 mike Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:33:14 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91350 you were very badly advised and you made a mistake. if you all had entered as tourists nobody would have batted an eyelid but then you go to immigration and openly tell them that you intend to flout immigration procedures, what could they do? too late to turn a blind eye. you were very badly advised and you made a mistake. if you all had entered as tourists nobody would have batted an eyelid but then you go to immigration and openly tell them that you intend to flout immigration procedures, what could they do? too late to turn a blind eye.

]]> By: Keola Donaghy http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91332 Keola Donaghy Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:57:05 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91332 Aloha Mike. I honestly did not think it was a fudge solution. I ran it by UCC, thought they ran it by immigration in Cork, and am still not certain that they did not. The finanancial aspect did not have anything to do with it. We were perfecly willing, and still are if they will allow us, to move Denyce to a school that immigration finds acceptable if they would simply allow me to return to Cork alone to work that detail out and bring my family over when I have. The main reason for our wanting to put Denyce in St. Aloysius' were the wonderful letters of encouragement that they sent. They seemed to sincerely want our daughter in their transition year program to bring her unique perspective of being a Hawaiian student into their room. Since our ordeal the principal there has emailed us frequently to offer words of encouragement and support, and we have been deeply touched by her efforts. While we would be very disappointed if we had to put her in a different school I'm sure that Denyce would be very happy wherever we were required to enroll her, and so would we no matter what the cost. Mahalo again. Aloha Mike. I honestly did not think it was a fudge solution. I ran it by UCC, thought they ran it by immigration in Cork, and am still not certain that they did not. The finanancial aspect did not have anything to do with it. We were perfecly willing, and still are if they will allow us, to move Denyce to a school that immigration finds acceptable if they would simply allow me to return to Cork alone to work that detail out and bring my family over when I have.

The main reason for our wanting to put Denyce in St. Aloysius’ were the wonderful letters of encouragement that they sent. They seemed to sincerely want our daughter in their transition year program to bring her unique perspective of being a Hawaiian student into their room. Since our ordeal the principal there has emailed us frequently to offer words of encouragement and support, and we have been deeply touched by her efforts. While we would be very disappointed if we had to put her in a different school I’m sure that Denyce would be very happy wherever we were required to enroll her, and so would we no matter what the cost.

Mahalo again.

]]> By: Keola Donaghy http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91324 Keola Donaghy Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:04:11 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91324 Aloha all. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I am deeply grateful to all for the thoughtful posts, comments and those offline who are working on our behalf. Mike, what I was told by UCC and others that when we arrived we would only be given a only 3 month stamp, and that upon arrival in Cork we would proceed to the gardai station and that they would then change mine to a student visa, and extend my wife and daughter's so that they could remain for the duration. When I asked the officer if he could simply allow us a 3 month stamp for my wife and daughter it was for that reason, so that we could come into the country to work things out in Cork with folks and get the extension necessary for our family to stay the entire time. Perhaps this is a tactic used by the folks I've heard referred to as "welfare tourists" and arouses suspicion. I'm not sure. I've had many offers of help from people with some political connections online, which may or may not bear fruit. My feeling is that the answer lies in Cork with the ISO and gardai there, and am praying for a happy ending. Mahalo nui to you all. Aloha all. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I am deeply grateful to all for the thoughtful posts, comments and those offline who are working on our behalf.

Mike, what I was told by UCC and others that when we arrived we would only be given a only 3 month stamp, and that upon arrival in Cork we would proceed to the gardai station and that they would then change mine to a student visa, and extend my wife and daughter’s so that they could remain for the duration. When I asked the officer if he could simply allow us a 3 month stamp for my wife and daughter it was for that reason, so that we could come into the country to work things out in Cork with folks and get the extension necessary for our family to stay the entire time.

Perhaps this is a tactic used by the folks I’ve heard referred to as “welfare tourists” and arouses suspicion. I’m not sure.

I’ve had many offers of help from people with some political connections online, which may or may not bear fruit. My feeling is that the answer lies in Cork with the ISO and gardai there, and am praying for a happy ending.

Mahalo nui to you all.

]]> By: aonghus http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91317 aonghus Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:23:43 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91317 <i>All</i> immigrants deserve intelligent treatment. If we are not going to store up trouble for ourselves in the future then we need clear guidelines, clearly applied. For a case this simple it should have been possible to provide Keola with a black and white, no fudge needed checklist. And it should all have been sorted before they ever left Hawaii. The officer in Dublin should have only had to check a completed checklist. The benefits to this country of this family coming here are clear. The apparent disadvantages are not clear to me. All immigrants deserve intelligent treatment.

If we are not going to store up trouble for ourselves in the future then we need clear guidelines, clearly applied.

For a case this simple it should have been possible to provide Keola with a black and white, no fudge needed checklist.
And it should all have been sorted before they ever left Hawaii.

The officer in Dublin should have only had to check a completed checklist.

The benefits to this country of this family coming here are clear.
The apparent disadvantages are not clear to me.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91296 conor Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:26:51 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91296 No, most people are saying that non-welfare immigrants deserve <strong>intelligent</strong> treatment. If that rates as "special" in your book then so be it. No, most people are saying that non-welfare immigrants deserve intelligent treatment. If that rates as “special” in your book then so be it.

]]> By: milke http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/comment-page-1/#comment-91261 milke Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:58:37 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/09/07/irish-immigration-control-is-a-disgrace/#comment-91261 Guys, we know what happened and so does Keola. He knew his daughter needed a fee paying school so he found a fudge solution. Why am I taking this attitude? because from reading about this on other blogs you think he deserves special treatment, shame on you all. Guys, we know what happened and so does Keola. He knew his daughter needed a fee paying school so he found a fudge solution.

Why am I taking this attitude? because from reading about this on other blogs you think he deserves special treatment, shame on you all.

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