An Irish man originally from Glenmore, Co Kilkenny, who has lived in the US for almost two decades, has appealed for Irish political leaders to raise his case with the US administration after being held in the US immigration detention in Texas since September 2025.
Seamus Culleton, a businessman based in the Boston area who runs a plastering/construction business, is married to a US citizen, Tiffany Smyth, and has said he has no criminal record. In interviews referenced in recent coverage, Mr Culleton said he was detained by officers after an encounter near a Home Depot in Massachusetts and was subsequently transferred to an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas — thousands of kilometres from his home in New England.
Mr Culleton has publicly described the conditions in detention as harsh. He told Irish media he has been confined for months with minimal time outdoors and limited access to adequate food, describing the experience as a “nightmare” and saying he fears for his safety. In the IrishCentral report, he said the detention site includes temporary tented structures that can hold large numbers of detainees.
US authorities dispute aspects of his account and argue his detention is lawful under immigration rules. In a statement quoted by CNN, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Mr Culleton entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver programme (allowing a 90-day stay) and did not depart when required. The spokesperson also said that a pending green card application and work authorisation do not amount to legal status, and rejected claims that conditions in ICE facilities are substandard.
The Irish Government has confirmed it is aware of Mr Culleton’s detention and that consular assistance is being provided, with the Irish Embassy in Washington engaging with US authorities.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the treatment of people in ICE facilities was a “concern” and confirmed he would raise concerns about the treatment of undocumented Irish people with US President Donald Trump during the St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.
Mr Culleton’s case has also drawn wider attention to immigration detention conditions and the practical difficulties families can face when trying to locate and visit detained relatives.
Mr Culleton has urged Irish political leaders to use diplomatic channels to support his case, while US officials maintain that immigration enforcement and detention decisions follow due process.
