More than 1,500 families and friends of undocumented Irish workers in the US met in Dublin at the weekend to voice their support for a campaign to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the US and work legally.
Politicians, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Sinn Féin's deputy leader Martin McGuinness, told the meeting they will continue to lobby US authorities.
The meeting, held by the US-based Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, estimates there may be 50,000 Irish people living illegally in the US.
The group, which now has 34,000 members in the US, said the prospects were growing for a new bill which would allow undocumented immigrants a path to legal residency.
The US Senate passed a similar bill last year but it faced significant opposition in the House of Representatives when Republicans controlled Congress.
The new Democratic majority has given hope to immigration reform campaigners. President Bush has promised to work with Congress to introduce comprehensive reform.
Many families at the meeting said its scale showed the depth of support in Ireland for emigrants living illegally in the US. Sheila Murphy, whose two children are undocumented and have been living in Boston for the past 15 years, said it was the first time she had felt Irish people cared about their plight.
"It's been so tough the past few years because it was almost as if Ireland had turned its back on our own.
"I hated telling people that my son and daughter were in America because of some people's attitude. Today has been magnificent. I feel much less alone," she said.
The hall was dominated by a picture of two American children, Lily and Daniel, whose parents are unable to bring them back to Ireland.
The children's aunt was in the audience and said it was heartbreaking to see the pictures of the two children. "They're so close, and yet so far," she said.
Dave Meade, the Dublin-based father of an undocumented daughter, said he was frustrated with critics who believed the undocumented Irish should just return home.
"They don't understand what our children are going through. America is their home now, so how can they just pack up and leave?" he said. "My daughter would happily pay fines to try and change her status. She's already paying taxes. All she wants is a way to come out of the shadows and live a normal life."
