Four Irish students deported from US for altering passports

thomasj

Silly people! Was it really worth it?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/four-irish-students-deported-from-us-for-altering-passports-516995.html

Four Irish students deported from US for altering passports
18/08/2011 - 14:13:31

At least four Irish students have been deported from the United States after they were found to have tampered with their passports.

It's believed that the students, who were all on J1 visas, had attempted to alter their dates of birth.

The legal age to drink alcohol in the US is 21, although many Irish students who travel there on summer visas are younger.

Fianna Fáil's Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Sean O Fearghaíl says the punishments can be severe.

"It is a very serious offence in the US…and it is something that is frowned upon and is likely to result in a person found guilty of this offence to be barred from entering the State," he said.

"That is something, that I think, most students would not like to have on their CV."

seanbmc

I think we heard you the first time.

Daemos

And one thread for each?

Tubsandtiles

Did they do it 4 times

Standard Toaster

4 gob****es

IamtheWalrus

I get the feeling this thread is an attempt to create a 'talking' point in boards, being the first to bring up the day's news. I bet you don't give a sh!t about the story. You haven't offered your opinion on it. Just posting the news. We all have the internet.

4zn76tysfajdxp

I know we're supposed to indulge teenagers* for being a bit naive from time to time, but tampering with your passport? Talk about a bunch of cotton-headed morons.




*and twenty year olds. **** off with your pedantry.

dr.bollocko

T'other threads deleted now...
I would assume its more boards server hamster problems. Happening all over the shop.

cosmicfart

why didnt they just get fake drivers licences before they went? worked for me

actuallylike

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I get the feeling this thread is an attempt to create a 'talking' point in boards, being the first to bring up the day's news. I bet you don't give a sh!t about the story. You haven't offered your opinion on it. Just posting the news. We all have the internet.

He did give his opinion, he said was it worth it. You on the other hand haven't given any opinion on the article.

Apologies in advance for a double post, t'is boards.

Silly thing to do really but doubt anyone was expecting this. We all tempered with ID's when we were younger, never thought I'd get in any major trouble but I guess when you're abroad, especially in America it's a risky thing to do.

amacca

Ah give them a break

its easy to be stupid about things like that when you are young

shure I remember running guns into Mexico and hookers out of it at the age of 14!

x_Ellie_x

They got what they deserve. Bloody eejits!

Mint Sauce

Hope it was worth it and they enjoyed their trip to the States. They're unlikely to see it again after that stunt.

Bipolar Joe

Yeah, at that age you should really understand that tampering with passports is a damn big thing. Pack of dipsh!ts, they are, especially doing it inside a country that's in a perpetual state of "High Alert."

Tubsandtiles

They seem like absolute idiots, everyone knows tampering with a passport is serious stuff, ffs they are in their twentys

Morons :mad:

FlutterinBantam

Tubsandtiles wrote: »

They seem like absolute idiots, everyone knows tampering with a passport is serious stuff, ffs they are in their twentys

Morons :mad:

Typical of the gimps around these days.

Inured by the Irish' Ahhh Jaysus take a fookin' chaaance sure you can blag your way out if you are caught'.:cool:

My bollox.

The Feds don't play games, fcuk around and you are pinged.

Salutary lesson for these idiots.

Buceph

irish-stew wrote: »

Hope it was worth it and they enjoyed their trip to the States. They're unlikely to see it again after that stunt.

There's a chance they'll never see anything beyond the EU after their stupidity. Passports aren't a right, they're issued by the graces of the government. They could well find that they're not allowed a new passport until they're 60, or ever at all. And they won't get further than the EU without a passport, and that would have to be by boat. I don't think any airlines will let you fly without a passport now, even if it's an internal EU flight.

Plus there's a chance they'll be prosecuted when they arrive back. And while I wouldn't be in favour of jail, but for every job they apply for they'll have to answer if they have a criminal conviction or not.

Mint Sauce

Buceph wrote: »

There's a chance they'll never see anything beyond the EU after their stupidity. Passports aren't a right, they're issued by the graces of the government. They could well find that they're not allowed a new passport until they're 60, or ever at all. And they won't get further than the EU without a passport, and that would have to be by boat. I don't think any airlines will let you fly without a passport now, even if it's an internal EU flight.

Plus there's a chance they'll be prosecuted when they arrive back. And while I wouldn't be in favour of jail, but for every job they apply for they'll have to answer if they have a criminal conviction or not.

I was thinking some thing similar when typing my original post. The original passports are now probably invalid as they have been tampered with. If the passport office do issue them with new ones I can see only being limited term ones with travel restrictions if they're lucky.

Don Juan DeMagoo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Typical of the gimps around these days.

Inured by the Irish' Ahhh Jaysus take a fookin' chaaance sure you can blag your way out if you are caught'.:cool:

My bollox.

The Feds don't play games, fcuk around and you are pinged.

Salutary lesson for these idiots.

It is purely an Irish mentality, that you can do pretty most things and then bull**** your way out of it when caught. I have seen Irish men in the states getting fresh with figures of authority thinking as though they were still in Cavan or Kerry, as in no repercussions. I remember reading about one jackass from Cavan a couple of years after 9/11, screaming on the plane in the US that he had a bomb. Amazed he wasn't shot. Then telling the judge that it was just a joke.

More than likely as soon as those lads get home the Department of foreign affairs will take their documents away from them. What hell it must be going to be for them to be stuck in Ireland after they graduate.

sdanseo

Absolutely no sympathy whatsoever, although I do agree with the consulate intervening to "get them out of custody" according to RTÉ - US immigration is tight to say the least :P

Total and utter morons. Takes our drink culture and apparent god-given right to get gee-eyed to a new and more pathetiic level than ever.

Don Juan DeMagoo

irish-stew wrote: »

I was thinking some thing similar when typing my original post. The original passports are now probably invalid as they have been tampered with. If the passport office do issue them with new ones I can see only being limited term ones with travel restrictions if they're lucky.

I can only imagine they will only if at all get temporary passports for the foreseeable future. Imagine having to go to the passport office each time you wanted to travel. I would think they are strict about this sorta thing. But then again this is Ireland and they may be someone of importance's son

The real stupidity wasn't altering the passport it was altering it in a way they couldn't easily change it back or not bothering to change it back.

I remember when we were under 18 we had a way for changing our driving licenses, it was very very good and with all the scratching and scraping bouncers couldn't prove it was altered, some of the lads handed it into checkpoints when driving and everything and was never noticed.

Chancing an altered passport in the US is a different story altogether though.

mikemac

These lads were deported straight away yet Pamela Izevbekhai was here for years clocking up legal fees and falsifying documents

We're a soft touch :rolleyes:

baldbear

mikemac wrote: »

These lads were deported straight away yet Pamela Izevbekhai was here for years clocking up legal fees and falsifying documents

We're a soft touch :rolleyes:

Yes but but........ racist!

mikemac

I'm straying into urban myths here but just wondering

You are fully entitled to put your passport name as Gaelige, nobody can stop you, first language of the State.

If the lads changed their name to Irish would foreign authorities fail to spot this?

John Ryan is blacklisted but Séan O'Riain is not?
Though modern passports have electronic tags so it may have worked a decade ago but not now?

Evaex

mikemac wrote: »

I'm straying into urban myths here but just wondering

You are fully entitled to put your passport name as Gaelige, nobody can stop you, first language of the State.

If the lads changed their name to Irish would foreign authorities fail to spot this?

John Ryan is blacklisted but Séan O'Riain is not?
Though modern passports have electronic tags so it may have worked a decade ago but not now?

Your name is on your birth cert. Names cant be translated on official documents. Translating a name is changing the name.

Buceph

mikemac wrote: »

These lads were deported straight away yet Pamela Izevbekhai was here for years clocking up legal fees and falsifying documents

We're a soft touch :rolleyes:

Yeah, she was an asylum seeker and it's up to us to treat the case properly.

If those students claimed asylum in America they'd be entitled to more or less the same treatment.

jive

mikemac wrote: »

I'm straying into urban myths here but just wondering

You are fully entitled to put your passport name as Gaelige, nobody can stop you, first language of the State.

If the lads changed their name to Irish would foreign authorities fail to spot this?

John Ryan is blacklisted but Séan O'Riain is not?
Though modern passports have electronic tags so it may have worked a decade ago but not now?

You have a good future ahead of you in the criminal underworld with thinking like that.

I bet you're the kind of mad fúcker who downloads a car aren't ya??

silvershark

Don Juan DeMagoo wrote: »

It is purely an Irish mentality, that you can do pretty most things and then bull**** your way out of it when caught. I have seen Irish men in the states getting fresh with figures of authority thinking as though they were still in Cavan or Kerry, as in no repercussions. I remember reading about one jackass from Cavan a couple of years after 9/11, screaming on the plane in the US that he had a bomb. Amazed he wasn't shot. Then telling the judge that it was just a joke.

More than likely as soon as those lads get home the Department of foreign affairs will take their documents away from them. What hell it must be going to be for them to be stuck in Ireland after they graduate.

I think you're thinking of the Leitrim player who said he had a bomb in his luggage in JFK airport on way back from Leitrim v New York game - it was 2003.

I hate when people dont have the details right.

On the 4 lads - pure stupid

Evaex

Buceph wrote: »

Yeah, she was an asylum seeker and it's up to us to treat the case properly.

If those students claimed asylum in America they'd be entitled to more or less the same treatment.

Nah, we're just a joke bankrupt country with gombeen politicians and the IMF running the place. In America, she would have been laughed out of the place, and would never have cost the American taxpayer over €1 million while lying to numerous courts and claiming free legal aid. In fact, she would have never made it through immigration in the first place.

Buceph

Evaex wrote: »

Nah, we're just a joke bankrupt country with gombeen politicians and the IMF running the place. In America, she would have been laughed out of the place. In fact, she would have never made it through immigration in the first place.

You don't have to make it through immigration to claim asylum. All you have to do is present yourself to an official of the state, on the state's territory and say, "I claim asylum."

You could make arguments about whether the particular part of an airport prior to immigration is in fact American soil, but that's not something that comes up much.

Pure Sound

It was a silly thing to do but it was for innocent enough reasons, they were simply doing it so that they could go out for a few drinks which is the norm at that age in Ireland. Deportation is enough of a punishment

Mint Sauce

mikemac wrote: »

I'm straying into urban myths here but just wondering

You are fully entitled to put your passport name as Gaelige, nobody can stop you, first language of the State.

If the lads changed their name to Irish would foreign authorities fail to spot this?

John Ryan is blacklisted but Séan O'Riain is not?
Though modern passports have electronic tags so it may have worked a decade ago but not now?

Even if they could do this it wouldn't work, it would be the same a someone changing from their maiden to married name. The history/background on them would still be there

Only chance they could maybe, and it would be a huge maybe, is see if they are elegable for another passport, as long as its not american.

JONJO THE MISER

It would be more in the line of America to sort out its gun and gang problem that harass a few people that want a few beers.

Panty_thief

second only to photocopying dollars.

Some people are really over-reacting with regards to this..they weren't hurting anyone and the fact that this could 'hurt their job prospects' is ridiculous.

Mint Sauce

AdamD wrote: »

Some people are really over-reacting with regards to this..they weren't hurting anyone and the fact that this could 'hurt their job prospects' is ridiculous.

Cant see it hurting their job propects unless the passport office decides to prosecute, their passport are effectivly the property of the dept of forign affiars, also a legal document that they tampered with.

Cant see them ever seeing the States again though.

up for anything

The things the Irish will do for a drink! Couldn't they copy what American under age pub goers do, whatever that is! Certainly wouldn't be interfering with passports. :rolleyes:

Evaex

The US is one of most secure borders in the world. They are always years ahead of most other countries in the technology and security they use in their airports. All of which makes it more ridiculous that these Irish students decided to "alter" their dates of birth on the passports they would be presenting to homeland security. There was no real malice in what they did, but it was breathtakingly stupid .

4zn76tysfajdxp

Evaex wrote: »

Your name is on your birth cert. Names cant be translated on official documents. Translating a name is changing the name.

Dunno about that. My name is in English on my birth cert but my name's in Irish on my passport, my birth cert name is displayed under "notes" though. So I'm not sure if I'm still disagreeing with you...

Corkfeen

Evaex wrote: »

Your name is on your birth cert. Names cant be translated on official documents. Translating a name is changing the name.

You're legally entitled to have your name in English or Irish on official state documents.

Don Juan DeMagoo

silvershark wrote: »

I think you're thinking of the Leitrim player who said he had a bomb in his luggage in JFK airport on way back from Leitrim v New York game - it was 2003.

I hate when people dont have the details right.

On the 4 lads - pure stupid

Apologies for that:o

Evaex

Michelle Wet Whey wrote: »

Dunno about that. My name is in English on my birth cert but my name's in Irish on my passport, my birth cert name is displayed under "notes" though. So I'm not sure if I'm still disagreeing with you...

I think it says "Bearer was registered at birth as <english version of your name> "

4zn76tysfajdxp

Evaex wrote: »

I think it says "Bearer was registered at birth as <english version of your name> "

Mine just says, on the 3rd page, "Birth cert name: <my name in English>"

Corkfeen

You can use the name you normally use on a passport application, so if one were to setup a bank account and pay bills under your name in Irish after a 2 year period, you can get a passport with your name as Gaeilge. I always thought it was more straight forward.

Oh_Noes

They should never be issued passports again. Such muppets doing that for the sake of a drink.

OMG Its EoinD

I got an e-mail from UCC telling people on J1's to not do it. Apparently they were ironing on fake ID's over the passport to gain entry into clubs.

SellingJuan

Quick question. WOuld the severity of this case be the same if it was a fake ID. ( not modifing your passport)

Tubsandtiles

SellingJuan wrote: »

Quick question. WOuld the severity of this case be the same if it was a fake ID. ( not modifing your passport)

What exactly do you mean ?..I'll try and give you my take on it

Corkfeen

SellingJuan wrote: »

Quick question. WOuld the severity of this case be the same if it was a fake ID. ( not modifing your passport)

Nope, modifying an official Travel Document they view as extreme criminal behaviour.

ProudDUB

Bunch of stupid dopes if they thought that presenting a doctored piece of ID to a bouncer in Queens is the same as trying to do so with Homeland Security. They do NOT mess about !

Tampering with an official document is a serious offence over there, whether it be a passport or a drivers license. Then they'd be charged with underage drinking if they were busted trying to buy booze with it. Also a criminal offence. No mere slaps on the wrist over there.