CONCERNS ARE RAISED ON LEGALITY OF THE AMERICAN PRECLEARANCE PROCEDURE AT IRISH AIRPORTS FOLLOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN

In the recent days, President Trump has enacted an Executive Order suspending all refugees’ entry to the US for  a 120 day period,  an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Citizens from these countries will not be issued visas to the US, and will be stopped at the point of entry at US airports.

Dublin and Shannon airports are among a small number of sites in the world where US preclearance procedures are carried out in respect of passengers travelling to the US. Thus, Ireland now finds itself on the frontline in respect of the implementation  of Mr Trump’s draconian orders, which are being condemned by politicians internationally and by our own government members alike.

Minister Katherine Zappone  was quick to voice her concern that discrimination may be happening at US preclearance sites at Irish airports, and she called for an urgent review of the American pre clearance procedure in Irish airports, and our Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday ordered a “complete review” of the pre clearance procedure.

A number of Irish NGOs, including Amnesty, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Irish Refugee Council, FLAC, Nasc, the Migrants Right Centre and The Irish Council of Civil Liberties have released  a joint statement voicing their concern regarding the pre clearance procedure  that person’s rights under the Constitution, EU law or the European Convention on Human Rights may be under threat. The NGO’s also called on the Minister for  Foreign Affairs and the Minister for  Justice and Equality to clarify the role of Gardaí and immigration officials in the US pre-clearance process.

Berkeley Solicitors strongly condemns the discriminatory immigration policies of the American government being carried out on Irish soil. We are very concerned that Irish immigration officers may be required to facilitate the operation of these policies. We call on the Government to immediately cease the operation of the pre clearance procedure while Mr Trump’ s travel ban is in  place.

BERKELEY SOLICITORS IMMIGRATION TEAM