The plight of undocumented Irish immigrants in the US is getting "harder by the day", Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said today before adding that the Government would remain "actively involved" in representing their concerns.
Mr Ahern was speaking after he met officials from the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) and Irish Immigration Centres in New York last night.
Mr Ahern described the ILIR campaign as having a "strong impact in Congress and beyond" and went on to reiterate the Government's "strong support" for the campaign.
Last July the Government announced nearly €1 million in grants to Irish community organisations in the US.
Mr Ahern said the services offered by these centres are "critical", especially for older Irish people living in the US.
"The work that the centers undertake to respond to the particular difficulties encountered by the undocumented in their communities is also of key importance," he said.