US: Brian McKenna rode in the passenger seat of his car yesterday before arriving at New York's city hall to address tens of thousands of immigrants. An illegal immigrant from Truagh, Co Monaghan, he has hired a full-time driver since New York state cracked down on immigrant drivers' licences three years ago.
Normally, he and his driver, Mark Logan, a legal immigrant from Belfast, drive together to plumbing jobs across Manhattan.
Yesterday, they had a CNN film crew following them in a separate vehicle, filming their every move for a feature about illegal Irish immigrants.
"A lot of people think this is simply a Latino problem. We're here with our T-shirts and flags and banners to say this is also a problem for the Irish and other Europeans. A lot of people are surprised by that," he says.
A leading member of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, McKenna is joined by hundreds of supporters wearing green and white T-shirts and carrying American and Irish flags.
Among them was Samantha Melia from Palmerston, Co Dublin, who has been struggling in New York since the post-9/11 crackdown.
"I have a degree from the University of Ulster but I can't use it," she says. "I overstayed a tourist visa and I'm doing bar work until I can get it all sorted out." She is wearing a "Legalize The Irish" T-shirt, along with her husband, who is originally from Ashbourne, Co Meath.
Like many Irish immigrants in New York, she had put here faith in the McCain Kennedy immigration bill, which was defeated in the Senate late last week.
"We have many friends from around the world in the immigration coalition here in New York," says Samantha.
"We're all in this together. We're just saying that this is a problem for English-speaking Europeans also," she said.
Meanwhile, in Boston Hugh Meehan was busy putting American flags on poles before joining hundreds of Irish at an immigration rally on Boston Common.
A legal immigrant and chairman of Boston's Armagh/Notre Dame GAA club, he has seen the number of GAA players dwindle because of drivers' licence crackdowns.
"They're just not coming out from Ireland anymore, and if they do, it's only for three months," he said.
While united in cause, he sees a big difference in approach between Irish and Hispanic lobbyists.
"The last time there was a rally, they were waving Mexican flags and chanting in Spanish. I really don't think that's the right approach," he said.
"We're here with our American flags to say that this isn't about Ireland, it's about the future of America. If people get that idea, then we'll win this fight."