NJ Irish Refugee's Deportation Is ‘Shameful,’ Sen. Menendez Says

NEWARK, NJ — Three decades ago, Malachy McAllister and his family fled Ireland to the United States after would-be assassins fired dozens of rounds into his home. But after painstakingly carving out a life for himself in New Jersey with his wife and children, McAllister is now being forced back to his native country, courtesy of a one-way plane ticket from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Sen. Bob Menendez says.

According to Menendez, McAllister and his family fled Northern Ireland in 1988 to escape persecution for their political beliefs after pro-British loyalists fired 26 rounds of ammunition into their home.

McAllister was previously jailed for seven years for his role in two Irish National Liberation Army attacks on police officers in 1981. He was released in 1985, BBC News reported.

Federal immigration authorities have accused McAllister of engaging in “terrorist activities,” acting as an armed “lookout” during one attack and conspiring to shoot a Royal Ulster Constabulary officer in another.

After he arrived in the United States, the DHS granted McAllister multiple stays of removal, but the Trump Administration refused to exercise prosecutorial discretion and allow him to remain in the country with his family, Menendez said.

McAllister – who has since become a leader in New Jersey's Irish community – was scheduled to be deported via Newark Airport on Wednesday morning. He had been living in Rutherford until he surrendered himself to the ICE Newark office.

Menendez called it a “sad day” for his family and the state.

“Deporting a community leader who poses no national security or public safety threat is not only a clear injustice, but also contrary to our nation’s values,” Menendez said. “By forcefully deporting Mr. McAllister to a place he fled because his life was put in danger, the [Donald Trump] Administration is showing the immorality of their indiscriminate immigration policies.”

According to Menendez, McAllister was recently hit by a car while riding his bicycle. The impact left him with a broken collar bone, lacerations and other injuries. He also suffers from severe asthma, which will put him at higher risk during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

But federal authorities don’t care, Menendez charged.

“This man’s deportation is shameful and will not make America safer,” the senator said. “Mr. McAllister is a good man who built a life for himself and his family in the United States for over 20 years and has been a tireless advocate for the Irish Peace Process, but Trump’s deportation force dismissed his extraordinary equities and will deport him anyways.”

Earlier this month, 13 members of Congress penned a last-minute appeal to President Trump on McAllister’s behalf, including Bill Pascrell Jr., Frank Pallone Jr., Chris Smith and Albio Sires.

A rally in support of McAllister was slated to take place on Tuesday afternoon in front of the federal building at 970 Broad Street.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, which has been advocating for McAllister, condemned his deportation said that federal authorities are “completely ignoring” the context of the Northern Ireland conflict which drove McAllister to seek refuge in America.

“On behalf of Malachy, he would like to thank everyone who has supported him and his family’s long struggle for justice,” the group wrote earlier this week.

A Facebook page titled “Keep Malachy McAllister in the U.S.” with nearly 2,000 followers has been documenting the community’s effort to protect McAllister.

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