An Irish man with a valid work permit is detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and fears for his life, appealing to the Irish government for assistance.
Seamus Culleton’s Detention
Seamus Culleton, 42, originally from County Kilkenny, has been held at a detention center in El Paso, Texas, for five months. He claims conditions at the facility are akin to “torture” and that he fears the staff, not other inmates.
Speaking to RTÉ radio, Culleton implored Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise his case with President Donald Trump during his upcoming St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House. “Just try to get me out of here and do all you can, please,” Culleton said. “It’s an absolute torture, psychological and physical torture.”
Culleton runs a plastering business in the Boston area. He was arrested by ICE agents on September 9, 2025, after purchasing supplies at a hardware store.
He initially entered the U.S. in 2009 on a visa waiver program and overstayed the 90-day limit. However, after marrying a U.S. citizen, Tiffany Smyth, and applying for lawful permanent residence, he obtained a statutory exemption allowing him to work, according to his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye.
The detention prevented Culleton from attending his final green card interview in October, which would have confirmed his legal status. Okoye stated, “It’s inexplicable that this man has been in detention.”
Conditions in Detention
Culleton described squalid conditions, sharing a room with 71 other detainees, insufficient food, and limited access to fresh air and exercise. He reported showers and toilets were “filthy” and meals were child-sized, leaving everyone hungry.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis,” Culleton told RTÉ. “You don’t know if there’s going to be riots, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s a nightmare down here.”
Despite the difficult circumstances, Culleton remains hopeful, speaking daily with his wife and family in Ireland, who are actively seeking support for his release.
Culleton appealed to Irish authorities to intervene, expressing his desire to return to his life and start a family. His mother is reportedly heartbroken by his situation.
Government Response
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated it is providing consular assistance through the Irish consulate in Austin, Texas, and engaging with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at a “senior level.”
Taoiseach Martin expressed hope for Culleton’s release and concern over his detention conditions, but did not confirm whether he would raise the case with President Trump.
The case may complicate Dublin’s efforts to maintain positive relations with the White House, particularly given past disagreements over corporate tax, trade, and immigration. Some opposition parties have urged Martin to protest U.S. policies.
Culleton’s lawyer indicated that U.S. authorities are threatening deportation “any day” and that his case is being handled by the fifth court of appeals in Texas, which Okoye described as “the least immigrant-friendly” court. Okoye believes there is no reason to keep Culleton detained, given his pending green card interview.
Recent figures show that less than 14% of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by ICE in the first year of Trump’s second term had charges or convictions for violent crimes, contradicting the administration’s claim to be targeting “the worst of the worst.”
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