A DONEGAL priest is fighting to stay on the US prairies despite an order that he be deported by July 1st.
Fr Cathal Gallagher (58), from Gweedore, is pastor in three small towns in the diocese of Sioux Falls in South Dakota where he has served for the past 10 years.
The main one is De Smet, famed as the childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote a series of books that inspired the TV series Little House on the Prairie.
Fr Gallagher's parishioners are furious that he is to be deported and have launched a campaign to have the order overturned. Last week they held a special prayer meeting of all denominations and people hung out green ribbons to show their support.
Fr Gallagher, a Columban missionary, went to the US after 22 years in Japan. In 2001, the diocese of Sioux Falls applied for permanent residency for him. It was approved in 2003, but a "technical error" occurred and he was later told the application was denied.
Supporters said the "technical error" amounted only to the priest being "out of status" for a short period between the expiry of his visa and a decision by immigration services on the application for residency.
Non-Catholics are also involved in the campaign to have his deportation order reversed. De Smet resident Donna Boser told a local newspaper: "He's just there for everyone, whether you're Catholic or not."
Fr Gallagher has played down the deportation order, although he intends to continue fighting it. "I've had 10 wonderful years here, so what can you say?" he said. "I'm too grateful to complain."
His case has been taken up by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and by local Democratic and Republican senators.