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As parades take place across the U.S. for St. Patrick's Day, many are reflecting on the contributions made by Irish immigrants – who were once seen as an ethnic, cultural and religious underclass – and how this echoes the struggles of today's immigrants, particularly from Latin America and the Middle East.
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While less than 10 million people live on the small island of Ireland, its diaspora population is one of the biggest in the world, with millions of U.S. citizens tracing their heritage back to Ireland, many of whom arrived as desperate immigrants fleeing famine, violence and political instability.
Ahead of St Patrick’s Day, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny met with Trump and U.S. officials in Washington. Kenny had previously called out Trump for his “racist and dangerous” rhetoric while on the campaign trail. On Thursday, he said that immigration “is so important to the fabric of our people.”
Coupled with the debate on migration in the U.S., which has taken an ugly turn through the Trump administration, Irish migration is also on the agenda. Trump, along with Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, were all seen sporting green ties while meeting with Kenny on Thursday.
“It's fitting that we gather here each year to celebrate St. Patrick and his legacy. He too, of course was an immigrant. And though of course the patron saint of Ireland, for many people around the globe, he is also a symbol of, indeed the patron of, immigrants,” Kenny said.
Currently, Irish people are believed to make up 50,000 of the 11 million undocumented migrants that are living in the U.S. Kenny said that he was hoping to speak with Trump about reducing the fears that undocumented Irish with “small issues” have about their status in the U.S. This has led many to point out a double-standard in regards to Irish immigrants compared to millions of others.
“How can these products of mass migration justify to themselves a campaign of terror against migrant communities? By holding in their heads a toxic duality: White Irish migrants good; brown Mexican or Muslim migrants bad,” literary editor for The Irish Times, Fintan O'Toole, wrote.
In New York City, the “Irish Stand for Justice & Equality” is set to take place at the Riverside Church where civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a famous speech against the Vietnam War. Organizers hope to draw on the historic oppression and migration of Irish people to send a message to other immigrants from around the world who are today being oppressed.
“Many of the struggles that Martin Luther King campaigned on are sadly the same struggles people face today. We are witnessing attacks on workers, on the environment and on vulnerable communities, especially migrants and immigrants,” said Irish Labour Party Senator Aodhan O'Riordain about the rally.
Last year, in a fiery viral speech to the Irish Parliament, O’Riordan called Trump a “fascist” and criticized the Irish government’s reaction to Trump's November election win.
O’Riordan said that Trump supporters embracing Irish culture and heritage have “forgotten their history” because, similar to many non-white immigrants today, Irish people were labeled "terrorists" when they first arrived in the U.S.
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“You call someone a terrorist or give an impression that a certain entire religious faith is connected with terrorism and that’s really undermining,” O’Riordan told the Guardian.
O’Riordan is helping to organize the rally, with group Irish Stand, which has also drawn the support of Actor Liam Neeson and a host of other artists who will perform on the day, with proceeds donated to the ACLU.
Martin Walsh, the Mayor of Boston — another city synonymous with Irish heritage — last week said that Boston would remain a sanctuary city and would not back a deal that would favor Irish immigrants while Muslim and Latino immigrants are increasingly demonized and deported.
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