Where Is the Humanity?
By Niall O’Dowd

THERE is something wrong in a country where a man desperately fighting a cruel cancer is unable to be helped by his fellow Irishmen because of bureaucratic regulations.

While Americans rightly pride themselves on their generosity, there is no question that, in their name, many grave injustices are being done to emigrants who desperately need help.

Post-September 11, it was only to be expected that there would be a major crackdown on immigration to the U.S., but it appears that many innocent people are also being caught up in the net.

Mickey Duffy from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal has a rare form of kidney cancer that could only be treated in America. His daughter has found that doctors at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York were able to combat the cancer, the only hospital in the world where it could be halted.

The doctors have indeed done a remarkable job in treating the disease, but Duffy needs extensive follow-up treatment and monitoring. His treatment to date has cost over $300,000, money the Irish native simply does not have.

His brave fight for his life has drawn funding from his hometown, and from exile groups here in New York and elsewhere in the U.S. A major fundraiser was planned for Gaelic Park last Saturday last to ensure that the Irish community would have their chance to play their part.

Anyone who has ever been to one of those fundraisers knows what remarkable events they are. They showcase the Irish community at its best. Thousands turn out and the generosity is sometimes quite unbelievable. 

In the case of a seriously ill person such as Mickey Duffy I have no doubt at all that the response would have been overwhelming, especially given the line-up of performers.

Among the guest entertainers was Mickey Joe Harte, the latest singing sensation from Donegal, who many are saying is even better than the beloved Daniel O’Donnell. Harte was expected to be a major draw as were The Revs, a well-regarded Irish rock group.

Harte had responded in the best way possible, neither demanding appearance fees or any special treatment. He first learned of the case when a flyer was left on the windshield of his car. He responded with admirable generosity.

Harte was set to be a major draw, as he recently represented Ireland in the prestigious Eurovision song contest which has long been a showcase for new talent.

But both Harte and The Revs, however, were refused entry to the U.S. on the grounds that their entertainment visas were not in order. It seems to have boiled down to whether a faxed copy of an original document about their program satisfied the bureaucrats. It did not.

Thus, Harte and the rock group were denied entry, the event had to be canceled, and the hard work and decent efforts of scores of Irish in New York City went to naught. Worse, the hospital bills of Mickey Duffy remain unpaid, and the chances that he will be denied life saving treatment increase as he falls deeper into debt.

His needs are now greater than ever, and what exactly have the immigration authorities achieved? Is there no humanity when a case such as this is presented to them? 

While we all understand the need for a tough crackdown on would-be terrorists entering the country, surely a performer on a mission of generosity could be admitted and some minor bureaucratic point put to one side.

Apparently not. The powers that be decided that the slip-up was so egregious that Harte and the other performers could not be allowed in. It is the kind of decision that defies all common sense, yet it was the one that was made.

We can only hope that Mickey Duffy can survive this major setback, that he can find the resources from somewhere to ensure that his treatment goes ahead. No doubt the community will be generous to a fault, and major efforts will be made to replace the lost revenue. Already there is talk of rescheduling the concert for later in the year, in order to maximize the fundraising.

The case of Mickey Duffy is not unique. Indeed, there are immigrants from many other countries who no doubt could tell similar tales. 

There is a real need for a compassionate look at such cases, and U.S. immigration should consider setting up some form of review of such decisions, which affect the health and well being of an immigrant. After all, Mickey Duffy with advanced kidney cancer was hardly likely to turn into an al-Qaeda operative now, was he?