It turns out that when the Irish public are asked about the treatment of undocumented migrants here in Ireland in the context of being asked about undocumented Irish migrants in the USA the racist hostility that is too often expressed almost evaporates.
This was the finding of a RedC poll commissioned by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. The MRCI estimates there are between 20,000 and 26,000 undocumented people in Ireland, including thousands of children.
It turns out that when the Irish public are asked about the treatment of undocumented migrants here in Ireland in the context of being asked about undocumented Irish migrants in the USA the racist hostility that is too often expressed almost evaporates.
This was the finding of a RedC poll commissioned by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. The MRCI estimates there are between 20,000 and 26,000 undocumented people in Ireland, including thousands of children.
The headline findings of this poll were that
– 69% of the Irish population supports a regularisation option for undocumented migrants in Ireland
– The figure rises to 79% when talking about undocumented children.
– Furthermore, 68% of the population believe that implementing a regularisation will strengthen the Government’s position in terms of lobbying for a regularisation of undocumented Irish in the USA –
– On the question of whether undocumented migrants in the US should have the chance to earn the right to live and work there, 84% of those polled agreed that they should.
– Agreement on the above points is shared across gender, age group, geographic location and membership of social class.
Profile of undocumented migrants in Ireland:
81% are here for over 5 years
1 in 5 are here for over 10 years
87% are working
Top 5 nationalities: Filipino, Chinese, Mauritian, Brazilian and Pakistani
5% entered the country legally and subsequently became undocumented
See the full poll on the MRCI
WORDS: Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )