El Paso, Texas – An Irish national detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly five months despite possessing a valid work permit has described conditions in the El Paso detention facility as “torture” and appealed for intervention from the Irish government.
Seamus Culleton, 42, from County Kilkenny, was arrested on , while purchasing supplies for his plastering business in the Boston area, according to his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye. He remains in ICE custody, facing potential deportation despite having no criminal record.
Speaking to Ireland’s RTÉ radio from the El Paso facility, Culleton detailed squalid conditions and a volatile atmosphere. “I’m not in fear of the other inmates. I’m afraid of the staff. They’re capable of anything,” he said. He described being confined with as many as 71 other detainees, with limited access to food, fresh air, and adequate sanitation. “You don’t know what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis. 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.”
Culleton implored Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise his case with US President Donald Trump during his scheduled visit to the White House next month for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. “Just try to get me out of here and do all you can, please. It’s an absolute torture, psychological and physical torture,” he pleaded. “I just want to get back to my life, we were so desperate to start a family.”
The case highlights the increasingly fraught situation for immigrants in the United States, even those with legal authorization to work. Culleton entered the US in on a visa waiver program and initially overstayed the 90-day limit. However, after marrying US citizen Tiffany Smyth and applying for lawful permanent residence, he obtained a statutory exemption allowing him to work. He had a final interview scheduled in October for his green card application, but his detention prevented him from attending.
Okoye, of BOS Legal Group in Massachusetts, described Culleton’s detention as “inexplicable.” She added that the Fifth Court of Appeals in Texas, which is handling his case, is considered “the least immigrant-friendly” court. “There’s no reason why the government shouldn’t just release him and allow him to attend the [green card] interview that will confirm his legal status,” she stated.
Culleton’s wife and family have publicly appealed for his release this week, hoping to galvanize support for his case. Smyth described the moment of his arrest as traumatizing, stating she “broke down and cried” when he called her after being detained, unsure where authorities were taking him.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance through the Irish consulate in Austin, Texas, and that the embassy in Washington is engaging with the US Department of Homeland Security at a “senior level.”
Speaking to reporters, Taoiseach Martin expressed concern over Culleton’s detention conditions and stated he hoped for his release. However, he did not commit to raising the case directly with President Trump.
The situation presents a delicate diplomatic challenge for Dublin. Ireland is currently navigating a complex relationship with the White House, facing criticism from the US administration over corporate tax policies, trade practices, and immigration issues. Some opposition parties in Ireland have urged Martin to boycott the St. Patrick’s Day visit to protest Trump’s policies.
Culleton’s case comes amid broader scrutiny of ICE’s enforcement priorities. Data released on revealed that less than 14% of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by ICE during the first year of Trump’s second term had been charged or convicted of violent crimes, contradicting the administration’s claim of focusing on “the worst of the worst.”
Culleton told RTÉ that he is trying to remain positive, relying on daily phone calls with his wife, mother, and sister for support. He fears being deported “any day,” according to his lawyer, and remains trapped in a legal limbo while his future hangs in the balance.
