African immigrants with Irish-born children told Kitty Holland of their fears for the future following the ruling.
Ellen (20), from Nigeria, was "very worried" yesterday, worried what would happen to her, her Ghanian partner and their two-month-old son, Kevin, following yesterday's Supreme Court judgment.
"I came to Ireland on January 10th last year and my baby was born on November 15th. I did apply for asylum and I have done the interview but I have not heard a reply yet."
Following the birth of her son, she said, she was advised "by Irish people" to withdraw from the asylum process and apply for residency on the basis of Kevin's Irish citizenship.
Living in Dublin, she said she wrote to the Department of Justice "telling them I didn't feel like doing their asylum process but I haven't had a reply yet.
"I did apply for residency but but I haven't had a decision yet."
She applied for residency last month but was now concerned that she should try and reactivate her asylum application, she continued.
"I am worried about that. I will have to talk to my partner about that. What are they going to do? Will they have to send us and our baby back?" she asked. "It is really bad news. We will have to get some advice."
Neither she nor her son would have a good life in Nigeria. She had fled, she said, "a very Muslim, religious area". Parts of Nigeria are under Sharia law, a severe form of Muslim law, which has seen women who have had sex out of wedlock sentenced to death by stoning.
"It is better here," said Ellen. "I can look after my baby better here."
Mr Tajudeen Busari, also from Nigeria, is the father of two young children born here. He has been here for three years and was granted refugee status about a year ago.
He is relieved his family are not at risk of deportation but as founder of the United Africa association in the Co Clare area, is "worried about my people". His office was inundated yesteray with worried non-national parents of Irish children.
"They have been just jumping in all day, asking what is going to be their fate. How is this going to be implemented? That is not clear. "People are worried they are going to be deported. They are confused," said Mr Busari.
He too says that when his first child, a son, was born two years ago he was advised to withdraw his asylum application, "because the process is too long and too cumbersome".
"But I wanted to hold on to my asylum application. I said 'no' to people who told me to give it up. I think people who withdraw do that ignorantly. They do not know it is better to stay."
Sister Breege Keenan, social worker at the Vincentian Refugee Centre in Dublin, said people were arriving at the centre yesterday "very, very worried". Even people who have already got residency [by virtue of having had a child here] are worried what will happen to them when they go to renew it."
Residency must be renewed annually by the Department of Justice. She said people were worried it may be taken from them at the next renewal date.
"Some people have withdrawn from the asylum process even when they had very good cases, when they had children."
Between 12 and 15 families had been in touch with her over the day, concerned about the implications of the judgment. "It'll be more tomorrow though, once word about all this gets around."