February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Hurley, a co-founder of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement and the Republican/Conservative candidate for the 26th council district in Queens, said there is a need to “restore balance to our immigration system.”
Hurley, who secured a Donnelly visa as a result of the IIRM’s efforts in the late 1980s, said that while the Donnelly and Morrison visa programs had secured relief for thousands of undocumented Irish, the success of both was now well in the past.
“We can’t be revisiting this situation every 10 or 15 years,” Hurley said.
In his campaign manifesto, Hurley states that he will use his city council seat to “persuade” the U.S. government to “establish a permanent legal immigration channel for the island of Ireland” as well as the more than 30 other countries that saw a decline in U.S. visa numbers as a result of immigration law changes in the mid-1960s.
“There needs to be a mechanism that recognizes the historical role of Ireland and other countries in the creation of this nation,” Hurley said.
Hurley was quick to add that his council campaign, which will culminate on election day, Nov. 4, was covering a “much broader” band of issues than just specific Irish ones.
The 26th district is a polyglot swath of Queens covering Woodside, Sunnyside, Long Island City and parts of Maspeth and Astoria.
Hurley said that though he lacked the resources of his rival for the seat, incumbent Democrat Eric Gioia, he had to date managed to deliver his campaign mail to 85 percent of households in the district.
Meanwhile, Hurley has received the endorsement of Republican representative Vito Fossella.
Fossella, from Staten Island, said that Hurley would effectively and “tirelessly” represent his community in City Hall.
Hurley previously secured the endorsement of Rep. Peter King.