Chuck Schumer backs Irish unity and greater access to US for Irish immigrants

The most powerful politician in the US Senate has backed Irish unity and greater immigration from Ireland to the United States, and set out his strong opposition to proposed British legislation aimed at dealing with legacy issues arising from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Chuck Schumer, the US Senate majority leader, also said he will tell UK prime minster Rishi Sunak, as he had the former premier Boris Johnson, that there will be no trade deals with the United States “if there is any backsliding” on the Belfast Agreement.

Mr Schumer described the accord as “a monumental achievement for American diplomacy” which had ushered in a period of peace in Northern Ireland and the possibility that had been dreamed of for centuries of equality and shared prosperity. He said he had recently met Sinn Féin’s Northern Ireland leader, Michelle O’Neill, after the party’s “historic win” in the last Stormont election.

“Can you imagine saying that 20 years ago? Can you imagine when the Ancient Order of Hibernians and so many were fighting tooth and nail simply to get a visa for Gerry Adams [to enter the United States] that Sinn Féin won the most votes of any party in [the] North of Ireland?”

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He added: “It is amazing. That is something to be thankful for.

“During the meeting, I offered [Ms O’Neill] my support for full equality and full Irish unity. Unity based on mutual respect, self-determination, protection of all people of all backgrounds on the island of Ireland.”

Mr Schumer made the comments in an address on Sunday in New York, where he received an honour from the Bronx county board of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He will remain as majority leader of the US Senate for the next two years at least after his Democratic Party retained control of the chamber in the US midterm elections earlier this month.

He also said he had told Mr Johnson at a recent meeting that “while we deeply value our long-term relationship with the UK, there will be no trade deals done” if there is any “backsliding” on the Belfast Agreement.

“When I meet the new prime minister I will tell him too, I have not met him yet,” he said. “We must protect the open border, there can be no return to a hard border.

“We must oppose unwelcome efforts in the UK to pass the regressive so-called legacy legislation which will undermine the ability of victims of the Troubles [in Northern Ireland] when seeking truth and justice.”

Mr Schumer said the proposed legislation was “wrong” and “we will pressure Britain not to do it”. He said in the US “we have got to work together to pass immigration reform and find ways to re-energise legal immigration from Ireland”.