Perspective: The Irish have been among the most powerful advocates for immigration
But the pageantry and pride on display on St. Patrick’s Day speak to something more than a shared ethnic identity. They are tied to the Irish immigrant experience, which is a crucial part of Irish American culture. Irish Americans have long used St. Patrick’s Day parades to demand opportunities for immigration from their native land, and one of these campaigns even opened doors for immigrants from across the globe.
That is, until the early 1980s. As economic problems descended on Ireland, people began to emigrate. When they couldn’t get immigrant visas to the United States because they had no close family members to sponsor them, they came on temporary visas as tourists or students — and overstayed. These efforts created momentum to change the immigration laws, notably the creation of a 1986 visa program by Rep. Brian J. Donnelly that heavily favored White Europeans, and especially Irish people.The IIRM continued to use events like the 1989 New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade to demand even more changes to help undocumented Irish immigrants by emphasizing Irish contributions to American history.
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