A group of undocumented parents and children met outside the Dáil today to mark International Migrants Day 2014 and to call on the Irish government to give hope to the undocumented migrants, including thousands of children, who have made Ireland home.

Mostofa, who lives undocumented in Ireland with his 4-year-old son, said “I work here, I contribute, but because I am undocumented I am afraid all the time. This is the only home my son has ever known. How can I tell him he has no future here? Thanks to President Obama, the undocumented Irish in America have hope this Christmas. I hope the Taoiseach will soon give hope to the undocumented in Ireland.”

New research estimates there are up to 5,100 undocumented children in Ireland.  

Helen Lowry of Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) stated, “Currently, the vast majority of undocumented migrants in Ireland have no way to regularise their status. Barack Obama has committed to regularising millions of undocumented people in the US, because separating families is in no one’s interest. Irish politicians have lobbied the US government for this for many years; it’s time they acknowledged the undocumented families right here in Ireland as well.

A Christmas card from undocumented migrants was delivered to every member of the Oireachtas this week. The card was drawn by an undocumented child living in Ireland and asks politicians to make 2015 a year of change and hope for undocumented migrants on both sides of the Atlantic.