New laws to help "undocumented" Irish workers in the US regularise their situation could be processed this year, US ambassador James Kenny said yesterday.
Mr Kenny said a Bill being prepared under the direction of President Bush would not help every Irish illegal emigrant in the US, but was likely to help many.
He said Mr Bush had agreed to reform the US immigration regime and wanted to help "millions of hard-working men and women condemned to fear and insecurity in a massive undocumented economy".
However, Mr Kenny said it had not been finalised that the new system would give undocumented workers the right to stay if they paid a fine.
The current proposal included a "temporary worker programme" to match workers with jobs that Americans didn't fill.
Chicago Irish Immigrant Support Centre director Fr Michael Leonard said he welcomed the indications from the US authorities.
"It's been admitted by most people, I think, even those in the administration, that the system is not working properly and that it needs fixing," Fr Leonard said.
While it was too early to refer to details of legislation that had not been published, he said he hoped the system would help non-professional workers to settle in the US.
Stating that a reformed regime would enhance US security, he said a new category of worker-visa should be introduced which would give a five-year period of "earned adjustment" to new immigrants, after which they would be entitled to a green card.
He also called for the abolition of the three- and 10-year bans on travel to the US for undocumented workers who leave the country. "Until a firm proposal comes before the House of Representatives and from there on to the Senate, we won't know what will actually result from all of the discussions," he said.
