Dan Dennehy AOH National Immigration Chair, held a video conference last week.
Newly released data shows that only 168 Irish citizens received immigrant visas for green card status in the federal fiscal year 2024.
Most of them – 144 out of the 168 – went to spouses and other immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. Another seven were for other qualifying family members.
Only one green card was issued through the Diversity Lottery program that awards 50,000 Visas annually.
Sixteen came through the employer preference program.
The driving force behind this migration appears to be family reunification and opportunities for career advancement within the same companies. Some Irish citizens are pursuing new roles with U.S. firms, occasionally via the H-1B visa program, while others seek new lives in the U.S. through marriage.
In contrast, the latest data from the Irish government’s Central Statistics Office reports a much larger number — 6,100 people — left Ireland for the U.S. in the twelve months leading up to April 2025, marking a 22 percent increase compared to 2024.
There was no way to reconcile the difference between the two numbers except to theorize that many of the Irish who moved to the U.S. as residents did not have visas.
Dennehy, however, thinks very few Irish would endanger their status by entering the country without proper documentation, thanks to the publicity about the risks.
Meanwhile, the Irish government estimates 9,600 individuals moved to Ireland from the U.S., reflecting a broader trend of migration influenced by significant business investments from both countries.
That trend of Americans moving to Ireland raises an issue that the AOH is focusing on. The issue involves driver’s licenses. U.S. citizens must wait two years to qualify for an Irish driver’s license, but their U.S. license is valid in Ireland for only a year. The AOH is asking governors to work out bilateral agreements for reciprocity. Governors in 49 states have executive authority to resolve this issue. The gubernatorial election in Virginia this fall is an opportunity for the AOH to ask the Republican and Democratic candidates to commit prior to Election Day. I will ask the state board to send a letter to the two campaigns.
Enforcement actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have raised concerns among the national AOH board members, particularly regarding the deportation of Irish citizens.
This year alone, our national AOH officers report that at least 56 Irish nationals have been arrested by ICE, with 43 facing deportation, despite the majority having no criminal records. Reports indicate stringent enforcement by ICE with limited discretion, even for minor infractions like visa overstays.
The Irish government has noted a spike in requests for consular assistance from Irish citizens facing deportation, highlighting the urgency of the issue. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has reported that 43 Irish individuals sought help with deportation-related matters this year, a dramatic increase compared to previous years. This rise closely aligns with the aggressive deportation policies implemented under the Trump administration. It aims to expel millions of undocumented individuals each year, including an estimated 10,000 Irish citizens living in the U.S.
