Editor:
I would like to offer comment on the front page article "Eyeing the Exits?:
Many Exploring Irish Citizenship, Passports" (Feb. 26 - March 4), which tactfully explained that applications for Irish citizenship and passports have drastically spiked since Donald Trump has returned to the White House for a second term.
To me, it was no surprise.
As a Canadian citizen, to say that I am not in tune with Donald Trump's policies myself is an understatement.
Far be it for this Canadian to tell U.S. citizens what to do, but I wish to "put in my two cents" on this issue. Having an Irish passport is definitely a prideful thing for American citizens of Irish heritage.
However, I would recommend that people who have an Irish passport as a second passport do some research of the law before using it to go into international hot spots.
Of course, an Irish passport makes traveling through the European Union countries so much easier.
However, if a U.S. citizen enters a country using an Irish passport and should get into some type of trouble in that country, by law the U.S. Embassy cannot assist them because they entered the country using the Irish passport.
Let's say hypothetically if a U.S. person entered a country like Indonesia, where Ireland may not have a strong diplomatic presence, and the person is falsely accused of a crime, the person would not have the backing of the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia because they entered the country as an Irish citizen.
God forbid if a U.S. citizen were to enter Cuba or North Korea on an Irish passport and have problems in those countries; there would be a diplomatic quagmire.
I have never been in the diplomatic corps myself, but I would strongly encourage all of those U.S. citizens who travel to remote countries on an Irish passport to research the laws before they do so to prevent any potential problems.
Having an Irish passport is a great thing, but people have to be smart. It would be a shame if anyone fell victim to false imprisonment in a foreign country.
Sean F.X.
Nerbonee Montreal, Quebec
