Former Irish senator Billy Lawless, advocate for undocumented Irish in the US, has died

Billy Lawless, who became Ireland's first Senator to be based overseas in 2016, died today, Friday, November 8. He was 73 years old.

"It is with profound sadness that I share the passing of my Dad - my friend, partner, and fun nemesis," Billy's son Billy said in a post on the Facebook page for The Gage, one of his father's restaurants in Chicago.

"I miss him with all my heart."

Irish Senators Victor Boyhan and Michael McDowell also confirmed their former colleague's death, saying: "It is with great sadness that we learned earlier today of the death of our dear friend former Senator Billy Lawless.

"Billy was a member of our Seanad Independent Group from 2016 to 2020 where he served with distinction as part of our ten strong group of Independent members in Seanad Éireann.

"Billy was a tireless advocate for the diaspora and the undocumented Irish in the United States. He was a political force who made a difference in Irish and American politics over many decades, but above all, a husband, father and grandfather who will be dearly missed in Chicago, Galway and further afield.

"Former Senator Lawless greatly helped the cause of Irish immigrants and was made Freeman of Galway for these efforts. He was also conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by University of Galway.

"On behalf of the current and former Seanad Independent Group we remember Billy today and send our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Anne, children and grandchildren."

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Senators Victor Boyhan and Michael McDowell with Billy Lawless (center). (Courtesy Seanad Independent Group)

Lawless grew up on a dairy farm in the west of Ireland. In 1977, he sold the farm to enter the pub trade and soon had success as a restaurateur and hotel owner.

When his daughter earned a scholarship a college in the US, he decided it was time to follow his dream and move him and his family across the pond.

In 1998, Lawless emigrated to the US on an investor’s visa, but in order to become a US citizen, he had to be sponsored by his son, who had married an American. In 2014, Lawless and his wife Anne finally, and proudly, became US citizens.

In 2005, the successful Irish businessman who has had a lifetime interest in politics began to work as an advocate for immigration reform in the US, wishing to highlight the plight of the Irish undocumented community in Chicago.

The following year, he took up the cause of getting undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses. Politically, this was risky move for a businessman, especially one working in the hospitality game. At the time, there were an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 undocumented Irish in Chicago but Lawless soon realized that his was just a symptom of a nationwide problem.

He went on to take up the position as leader of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and eventually they won their fight for driver’s licenses for immigrants. He was later involved in the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, convincing politicians, Republicans in particular, to support immigration reform.

Meanwhile, Lawless established The Gage Hospitality Group in Chicago. Four restaurants are a part of the group today - Acanto, Coda Di Volpe, The Dawson, and The Gage.

The Irish man's advocacy for undocumented immigrants caught the eye of US President Barack Obama. In 2014, Lawless introduced Obama at a Chicago event where the President was speaking about his executive action on immigration.

“We really wanted to see if we could succeed in the United States and live the American Dream,” Lawless told the audience of 18,000 people in Chicago.

He said at the time how he owned four pubs and employed 260 people.

“This is what we emigrants do,” he stated.

Obama said Lawless and his son Billy, who also ran the restaurants, exemplified what he was trying to do empowering immigrants.

“Together, they have gone from employing ten workers to employing more than 250 workers and you just heard what Billy said: ‘This is what immigrants do.’”

Afterward, Lawless said: “The Irish community welcomes his [Obama's] reforms on the one hand, but that we really want to see more permanent and more thorough change through Congressional action.

"I also said that limiting the new deferred action program to just those who have children was unfair.

"I shared that most of the initial reaction in Ireland has focused on the travel issue and an immediate expectation that undocumented migrants would be able to travel home to reunite with family, to see a gravely ill loved one or attend a funeral, at an early stage and not trigger a 10 year ban.”

In May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless as Ireland's first-ever emigrant Senator, a role he remained in until 2020.

At the conclusion of his term in the Seanad, Lawless issued this video where he thanked Kenny for creating the position of Minister for the Diaspora in 2014.

He also said that he was planning on writing to all parties in Irish Government asking that a referendum on voting rights for the Irish abroad be included in the next Programme for Government. A referendum has yet to be held despite many promises.

In a statement on Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said:" It is with the utmost sadness that I have learned of the death of former Senator, Billy Lawless.

"Billy Lawless was a gentleman to his core, he was a businessman at the top of his game, and he was a person who accepted a challenge from former Taoiseach Enda Kenny - to travel from Chicago to Leinster House to represent the Irish diaspora.

"He did his work with diligence and great pride; he was great company, and he was an extremely kind man.

"To his family and large circle of friends and colleagues, I am truly sorry for your loss.

"May he rest in peace."