An Irish man detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for five months—despite having a valid work permit and no criminal record—says he fears for his life and is pleading for help from the Irish government.
Seamus Culleton described conditions at the Texas detention center as akin to “torture” and said the atmosphere was volatile. “I’m not in fear of the other inmates. I’m afraid of the staff. They’re capable of anything.”
Speaking from the El Paso facility to Ireland’s RTÉ radio, Culleton begged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise his case with Donald Trump during next month’s St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House.
“Just try to get me out of here and do all you can, please. It’s an absolute torture, psychological and physical torture,” Culleton said, adding he didn’t know how much more he could endure. “It’s just a horrible, horrible, horrible place.”
Culleton, 42, is originally from County Kilkenny and runs a plastering business near Boston. He was arrested on September 9, 2025, after ICE agents followed him from a hardware store.
According to his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, Culleton entered the U.S. in 2009 on a visa waiver and overstayed the 90-day limit. After marrying U.S. citizen Tiffany Smyth and applying for lawful permanent residence, he obtained a statutory exemption allowing him to work legally.
Okoye said the detention prevented him from attending his final green card interview in October, which would have confirmed his legal status. “It’s inexplicable that this man has been in detention.”
Culleton’s wife in Massachusetts and his family in Ireland went public with his story this week, hoping to rally support for his release.
Culleton told RTÉ he was locked in a room with 71 other detainees in squalid conditions, with insufficient food and little time outside for fresh air, sunshine, or exercise.
“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.”
He said showers and toilets were “filthy” and daily meals were child-sized. “So everybody is hungry.”
Culleton said he was trying to stay positive. “I try my best. I talk to my wife every day, she’s my rock. I talk to my mother and sister most days. They’re all rooting for me.”
He appealed to Irish authorities to intervene. “My own family in Ireland is also suffering, my mother especially, she is heartbroken. Just do as much as you can to try and get me out of here, please. I just want to get back to my life, we were so desperate to start a family.”
He asked the taoiseach to raise his case with President Trump at the White House next month. “I’ll take any help I can get now at this point.”
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance through the Irish consulate in Austin, Texas, and that the embassy in Washington was engaging with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at a “senior level.”
The case could complicate Dublin’s efforts to avoid provoking the Trump administration, which has criticized Ireland over corporate tax, trade, and immigration. Some opposition parties have urged the taoiseach to cancel the White House visit in protest of Trump’s policies.
Culleton’s lawyer said U.S. authorities were threatening to deport him “any day” and noted 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,” Okoye said.
It has emerged that Tom Homan, Trump’s former “border czar,” warned the administration last year that aggressive and widespread immigration enforcement would erode public support.
Figures released on Monday showed that less than 14% of almost 400,000 immigrants arrested in the last fiscal year had criminal convictions.During the first year of Trump’s second term, the majority of individuals detained by ICE had charges or convictions for violent crimes, which contradicted the administration’s assertion that it was focusing on “the worst of the worst.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the situation where an Irish man is detained by US immigration authorities and seeking help from Ireland
Basic Information The Situation
1 Who is this Irish man and what happened
An Irish citizen was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after reportedly overstaying his visa He is now in a detention center while his immigration case is processed
2 Why does he fear for his life
He has stated that he has a serious medical condition requiring specific treatment He fears that the medical care in detention is inadequate and that his life is at risk if he does not receive proper care or if he is deported to a country where he cannot access it
3 What is he asking Ireland to do
He is pleading with the Irish government to intervene on his behalf This could involve diplomatic efforts with US authorities to ensure his medical safety advocate for his release on humanitarian grounds or facilitate a safe return to Ireland if deportation proceeds
4 Is this a common situation
While individual cases vary foreign nationals being detained for visa violations is a standard procedure in the US However cases involving urgent medical concerns and public appeals for homecountry intervention are less common and often draw significant attention
Process Legal Context
5 What authority does the US have to detain him
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has the legal authority to detain noncitizens who are in the country without legal status or who have violated the terms of their visa
6 Cant he just be deported back to Ireland
Deportation is a legal process not an immediate event It involves hearings before an immigration judge appeals and paperwork His medical condition and plea for homecountry assistance could become factors in these proceedings
7 What is the role of the Irish governmentembassy
The Irish Embassy and Consulates in the US have a consular role to protect the welfare of Irish citizens abroad They can visit him in detention ensure he has legal representation relay messages to family and make diplomatic representations to US authorities about his treatment and case They cannot override US law
8 What are humanitarian parole or deferred action
These are discretionary
