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Irish Senior Connect
"A listening and information service for Irish seniors"

855-249-5146

The Irish Senior Connect program is dedicated to providing a listening ear and a response that conveys empathy and respect, so that every senior who calls will feel welcomed, supported and helped by a caring network of friends. Our aim is that no senior should ever feel isolated or alone.

Hours of operation are: Monday and Tuesday from 10 am to 12 pm and Thursday from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 4 pm

Susan M. Doody, Coordinator

Email: seniorconnect@ciic-usa.org

This is a project of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers and is Hosted by the Irish Pastoral Centre in Boston; www.ipcboston.org

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January 2012

The Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) is excited to announce the launch of ImmigrationLawHelp.org (www.immigrationlawhelp.org), a new website to help low-income immigrants find free or low-cost legal help. The website provides information about more than 900 nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states.

Using data from IAN's recently launched National Immigration Legal Services Directory (http://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory), ImmigrationLawHelp.org was designed to address the lack of reliable information available to low-income immigrants by providing an easy-to-use online directory of legal services providers. In addition to the ability to search for nonprofit legal services by state, county, and detention facility, the website allows users to find organizations by languages spoken, types of legal and other services provided, and specific areas of legal assistance. It is available in English and Spanish.

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U.S. Travelers Will Now Clear Customs/Immigration in Dublin, Irish Central, Jan 1, 2011

New Immigration Fees Go Into Effect Nov 23, 2010, USCIS website

Detained Immigrants Can be Found Through Web Tool, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, July 2010

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CONSULAR NOTIFICATION AND ACCESS
2010

If foreign nationals in the United States are arrested or detained, they must be told that they may have their country’s embassy or consulate notified, and officials from the embassy or consulate must be allowed access to them upon request. In some cases, the foreign embassy must be notified regardless of the individual's wishes. Notification is also required when a foreign national dies or is involved in an airplane crash or shipwreck, or a guardian is appointed for a foreign national who is a minor or an incompetent adult.

The CONSULAR NOTIFICATION AND ACCESS MANUAL explains how U.S. state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies, courts, and other competent authorities should handle arrests and detentions, quarantines and other types of non-criminal confinement, airplane crashes, shipwrecks, deaths, serious injuries or illnesses, and the appointment of guardians for foreign nationals. The Bureau of Consular Affairs within the Department of State conducts outreach and training on consular notification and access and strives to assist law enforcement agencies in every way possible.

More information can be found at the State Department website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/law/consular/consular_753.html

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Introduction of Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) January 2009

Visa Waiver travellers should register through the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection Agency website at the following address https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Registration is free and may be done by third parties e.g. travel agencies. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, and once approved,  will be valid for up to two years or until the applicant's passport expires or in the event of a name change. Authorisations will be valid for multiple entries into the U.S.

The US Department of Homeland Security is recommending that ESTA applications be submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans and at least 72 hours in advance of travel. An applicant who does not receive authorisation to travel will need to go to their nearest U.S. Diplomatic or Consular Mission and apply for a visa.

An ESTA approval does not determine admissibility into the United States. The final decision for entry to the United States rests with US immigration authorities at the port of entry.

The ESTA program does not apply to Irish citizens who are holders of a visa for the United States.

For more information on ESTA, please visit www.cbp.gov/ESTA.

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