Immigrant Rights Bring out the Irish in Schneiderman

By LIBERTY JOHN

State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on Tuesday fulfilled the stereotype that on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish for a day.

Schneiderman spoke passionately about the positive impact Irish immigrants had on America at the 19^th annual St Patrick’s Day breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.

“I would argue that there is no place that the Irish Americans have had more impact than in the State of New York,” Schneiderman said. “I represent the whole state. New York was built by immigrants.”

Schneiderman , a champion of immigrants as attorney general expressed his appreciation for immigrants in general and how far the Irish has come in the years since they migrated to the U.S. when they faced harsh discrimination.

Among his actions in favor of immigrant rights Schneiderman established an Immigrant Restitution Fund to compensate persons defrauded by two of the nation’s largest immigration services organizations: the International Immigrants Foundation and the International Professional Association, both run by Edward Juarez.  The Fund includes some $2.2 million dollars to be distributed among eligible former clients who received immigration-related services from the  organizations. The Fund was secured by Schneiderman as part of a landmark agreement which permanently shut down the two organizations.

Schneiderman also noted that the Irish played an essential role in contributing to the American culture.

“We are honored to have a man who has been in the forefront of protecting immigrants rights in the state,” Brian O”Dwyer who introduced Schneiderman. “In a time when many of our immigrants both Irish and non- Irish were taken advantage of by phony opportunities and phony offices that pretend to give them their rights.”