Emma DeSouza
Emma DeSouza is an Irish writer, political commentator,[1] journalist and campaigner.[2] She has contributed to HuffPost UK,[3] the Business Post,[4] The Guardian,[5] Euronews,[6] TheJournal.ie,[7] the Irish Examiner,[5] The Irish Times[8] and The Irish News.[9]
Career
DeSouza took forward a lengthy court challenge against the British Home Secretary over her right under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement to be accepted as an Irish citizen for the purposes of European Union family reunion rights with her American husband, Jake.[10] The case resulted in substantial changes to domestic UK immigration rules.[11] In May 2020,[12] the British Home Office announced that the people of Northern Ireland would be considered EU citizens for immigration purposes.[13] This result was cited as a significant victory for DeSouza. Following the changes to UK immigration law DeSouza withdrew her pending court appeal stating that the changes "forced through by our case will now allow Jake to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of my Irish citizenship and require the Home Office to respect my right under the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement to be accepted as Irish."[14]
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar[15] singled out DeSouza for praise during an address to an audience in Washington, D.C., which included U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, at the National Building Museum.
DeSouza's other campaign work includes voting rights for Irish citizens abroad[16] and campaigning for full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.[17] In July 2021, DeSouza was announced as the Chairperson of the All-island Women's Forum, DeSouza said, "The appetite for meaningful structures to provide greater engagement and understanding on this island is evident from the overwhelming interest we have received in the formation of this forum."[18] The Forum operates as a cross-border peacebuilding structure.
DeSouza was one of a number of high-profile[9] people targeted by the columnist Eoghan Harris under his anonymous Twitter account Barbara J. Pym.[19] According to DeSouza, "Much of the abuse was levied at Northern Ireland nationalists, or those deemed nationalists by Harris".[20]
DeSouza ran as an independent candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone at the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election. She said she believed the election had the potential to significantly disrupt the status quo of Northern politics and that "[k]ey to that change will be independent voices unafraid to join the growing demographic of 'others' not content being shuffled into outdated political movements with partisan ideals".[21] She received 249 votes and was eliminated on the first count.[22]
References
- ^ Walsh, David (3 May 2021). "With unionism in turmoil, is now the time for a united Ireland?". Euronews.
- ^ "'Hierarchy of Irishness' to be raised at citizenship conference". ITV News. 15 February 2021.
- ^ DeSouza, Emma (5 March 2021). "Opinion: The Good Friday Agreement Protected My Generation. We Can't Lose It To Brexit". HuffPost UK.
- ^ DeSouza, Emma (1 July 2020). "Comment: Without a senator from Northern Ireland the promise of a shared island rings hollow". Business Post.
- ^ a b DeSouza, Emma (6 May 2019). "It is not up to the UK government to decide whether I'm Irish or not". The Guardian.
- ^ DeSouza, Emma (4 November 2019). "I'm not British. I was born Irish. It's simply who I am and no court will tell me otherwise ǀ View". Euronews.
- ^ DeSouza, Emma (26 December 2020). "Opinion: Teaching children digital literacy is a must if we are to combat misinformation". TheJournal.ie.
- ^ DeSouza, Emma (20 April 2021). "Emma DeSouza: Want to keep the peace in the North? Elect more women". The Irish Times.
- ^ a b Simpson, Claire (7 May 2021). "Journalist Aoife Moore had to have counselling after trolling from Eoghan Harris-linked Twitter account". The Irish News.
- ^ Carswell, Simon (15 October 2019). "Explainer: What is the Emma DeSouza case about?". The Irish Times.
- ^ Boyd, Una (21 May 2020). "People born in Northern Ireland get improved family reunion rights". Free Movement.
- ^ Granite Immigration Law (21 May 2020). "UK: Changes to Immigration Rules: Northern Ireland-born British and Irish win EU citizenship rights".
- ^ Breslin, John (24 August 2020). "EU citizenship rule takes effect after Northern Ireland woman's battle". Belfast Telegraph.
- ^ McClements, Freya (21 May 2020). "Emma DeSouza withdraws immigration case after British government concession". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Black, Rebecca; PA (12 March 2020). "DeSouza campaign over Irish citizenship receives 'warm welcome' in Washington DC". Belfast Telegraph.
- ^ Lynch, Suzanne (22 July 2020). "Emma de Souza appointed vice-chairwoman of voting rights body". The Irish Times.
- ^ O'Shea, Kerry (21 April 2021). "Good Friday Agreement: New online resource presents full text with video explainers". Irish Central.
- ^ "Members appointed to new all-Ireland women's forum". The Irish News. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ McConnell, Daniel (7 May 2021). "Eoghan Harris Twitter accounts banned for violating rules on 'manipulation and spam'". Irish Examiner.
- ^ McCarthy, Justine; Tighe, Mark (16 May 2021). "Nine take legal action against Twitter attacks linked to Eoghan Harris". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
DeSouza sued the Home Office in 2015 to assert the right of people in Northern Ireland to be considered Irish from birth, under the Good Friday agreement. She had applied for a residence card for her husband from California using her Irish passport. The application was rejected on the basis that she should have applied as a British citizen. She dropped the case after the UK government amended its legislation.
- ^ McClements, Freya (11 March 2022). "Emma DeSouza to run as 'independent voice' in NI Assembly elections". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ McGovern, Eimear (12 May 2022). "Emma DeSouza: I was told I was 'getting above myself' in Northern Ireland election Stormont campaign" – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.