Vice President Joe Biden says Irish Americans should rally behind Hispanics in their push to get immigration reform through Congress.
The reason: Hispanics and the Irish both have had to bare more than their share of discrimination.
"There are 11 million [undocumented] Hispanics, who by the way, are just as proud, just as noble, care just as much about their families, as we do," Biden told 300 Irish American leaders in New York Thursday.
"Like our forebears, they possess overwhelming potential to build this great country."
Biden's comments came as he was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame at an event sponsored by Irish America magazine.
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According to
IrishCentral.com, Biden quoted from an 1892 editorial published in The New York Times, which depicted the Irish as drunks and thieves. He also said the Ku Klux Klan was founded to discredit Irish Catholics as well as African Americans.
Biden said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny had told him that Ireland had 50,000 undocumented residents.
He said Kenny added: "Mr. Vice President imagine not being able to come home for your mother's funeral and knowing you'll never be able to come back."’
"We need to find a fair and effective and decent way to take [undocumented residents] out of the shadows," Biden said.
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