Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith has called on the Taoiseach to work with every agency in the United States from the "presidency to the city halls" to support the undocumented Irish.
During a debate in the Dáil, the local TD said the government must endeavour to get a "legal pathway" for those people and other Irish people who wish to emigrate to the US".
Urging the government to pursue a resolution to the issue, Deputy Smyth said the most recent figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs states there are around 10,000 so-called "undocumented Irish" living in America today.
These emigrants may be working, paying taxes in the United States and otherwise contributing to American society but don't have the visas to make them fully-fledged citizens of their adopted country, Deputy Smyth pointed out.
Addressing Leo Varadkar, the Cavan TD said this section of Irish people should not be forgotten:
