An Irish man detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for five months says he fears for his life and is being held in appalling conditions, as international scrutiny grows over the treatment of immigrants held by U.S. Authorities.
Seamus Culleton, originally from County Kilkenny, Ireland, has been held at an ICE detention facility in Texas since early September. The 48-year-old, who has lived in Boston for more than 15 years and runs a construction company, told Irish broadcaster RTE that he was taken into custody by ICE officers on his way home from Home Depot.
Culleton stated he informed ICE authorities that he is married to a U.S. Citizen, is in the process of applying for a green card, has no criminal record, and possessed a valid work permit. “As far as I know I was covered,” he said, speaking from the ICE facility in El Paso, Texas, where he is currently detained. “None of that mattered; they cuffed me and took me away.”
According to a statement provided to CNN by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, Culleton entered the U.S. In 2009 under the visa waiver program, which allows a 90-day stay, and then failed to depart. McLaughlin also stated that after his arrest on September 9, 2025, Culleton “received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025.” She added that he was offered the opportunity to be immediately removed to Ireland but chose to remain in ICE custody, and even took steps to ensure he remained detained.
Culleton describes being held in a large, overcrowded room with over 70 other men, sleeping under constant artificial lighting in cold and damp conditions. He reports limited food, restricted access to medical care, and infrequent opportunities to go outside. “I’ve been locked in the same room now for four and a half months. I’ve had barely any outside time. No fresh air. No sunshine. I could probably count on both hands the amount of times I’ve been outside,” he told RTE. “I’m just locked in this room all day every day.” He characterized the conditions as “filthy” and a “nightmare,” stating, “I’m in fear for my life down here, honestly.”
McLaughlin countered claims of substandard conditions, stating in her statement, “These claim(s) that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are FALSE.”
Culleton recounted to RTE that ICE agents initially attempted to persuade him to sign paperwork agreeing to his deportation, but he refused, opting to fight his case based on his pending green card application through his wife, Tiffany Smyth.
Smyth described the shock of her husband’s detention as “awful” and spoke of the difficulties navigating the U.S. Immigration system, characterizing it as opaque and unfavorable to families. She told RTE she went nearly a week without knowing her husband’s whereabouts or if he was safe, relying on an online tracker to discover he had been transferred to El Paso, Texas. She added that arranging a visit has proven nearly impossible.
Culleton’s case has drawn attention in Ireland, and the Irish government has publicly acknowledged it. Spokespeople from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) told CNN they are aware of the case, that consular assistance is being provided, and that the Irish Embassy in Washington, D.C., is “engaging directly” with the Department of Homeland Security.
Taoiseach Michael Martin reportedly told reporters Tuesday that “Every country has migration policies, but those ICE facilities are a concern.”
According to Irish government figures, there has been a 330% increase in the number of its citizens seeking consular assistance related to deportation by U.S. Immigration enforcement last year, rising to 65 cases. Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee reportedly told reporters Tuesday that she is aware of fewer than a dozen similar cases of Irish citizens currently being detained.
Culleton’s situation highlights broader concerns about the U.S. Immigration system, which routinely subjects migrants to prolonged detention under harsh conditions. Immigration advocacy groups point to longstanding racial disparities in U.S. Immigration enforcement, resulting in the mistreatment of migrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and African countries.
ICE is currently holding approximately 70,000 people in custody, the highest number since the agency’s founding and significantly above typical levels. The vast majority of those detainees – 74% – have no criminal conviction, according to the most recent data.
