Washington, DC--Congressman Eliot Engel congratulated Joe Byrne Thursday after a hearing at the Citizenship and Immigration Services awarded him permanent resident status in the United States. “Now Joe can relax at home with his wife and daughter without fear of the immigration authorities coming for him,” said Rep. Engel, “unlike four years ago when a score of federal marshals surrounded his home and took him away to be deported.”

Rep. Engel, who worked with the family to persuade immigration authorities to reopen his case, was at Kennedy International Airport Tuesday with Joe’s wife Eileen Byrne and daughter Mairead, 7, to welcome him home.

Rep. Engel said, “Joe Byrne was caught in a bureaucratic muddle not of his doing, and which made no sense. He came to the United States with a letter of Good Character from Irish Garda (Police), settled in Pearl River, married and had a child. He was granted Legal Permanent Residence Status by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and was eligible to file for Naturalization.”

After 10 years, Rep. Engel said, on dubious evidence, the Irish government asked he be extradited to face charges there. He was extradited but after approximately a year in Ireland, the Irish government never charged him and a judge ordered Joe was freed.

Because he was in Ireland, he missed two appointments with the immigration office here and his case was closed. It is on this basis that his Green Card was revoked and he was not allowed to return to his home and family.

“Rep. Engel said. “He missed these appointments through no fault of his own and through extenuating, and forgivable, circumstances. That is why I worked with immigration officials to bring him home to his family. I want to thank the USCIS for its willingness to work for a decision that was fair and equitable to Joe, his family, and our country.”

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