SEVERAL politicians in Ireland are boycotting the July 4 celebrations at the American Embassy in Dublin in protest at President Donald Trumpâs border policies.
The US President has faced criticism recently for a policy that has seen hundreds of immigrant children separated from their parents.
Trump has since signed an executive order preventing migrant families from being separated, but said his zero-tolerance approach to immigration will continue.
As the American Embassy in Dublin gets their Independence Day celebrations underway tonight, some Irish TDs and Senators have shunned the event.
.@USAmbIreland makes remarks at #IndependenceDayDublin mentioning the many links between Ireland and the U.S. đșđž pic.twitter.com/mocArlHHXA
â U.S. Embassy Dublin (@USEmbassyDublin) July 3, 2018
According to the Irish Times, Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin will not be attending due to the recent controversy over child migrants.
Last month, Labour Senator AodhĂĄn Ă RiordĂĄin called on Irish politicians to boycott the event, saying the idea of drinking champagne at a celebration at this time would be unthinkable.
The Times adds that Junior Ministers Finian McGrath and John Halligan had declined invitations to the event, while Social Democrats co-leaders RĂłisĂn Shortall and Catherine Murphy were not attending over concerns about child separation at the Mexican border.
Meanwhile Independent.ie reports that Green Party TD Eamon Ryan will not be attending as âa protest directly relating to the separation of families along the Mexican borderâ.
It adds that all six People Before Profits TDs are not attending, as well as Fianna FĂĄil Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee.
This yearâs event, hosted by chargĂ© dâaffaires Reece Smyth at the US Ambassadorâs Phoenix Park residence, is entitled United We Rock.