ICE Detains Irish Citizen Seamus Culleton Despite US Work Permit

EL PASO, TEXAS (Azat TV) – Irish citizen Seamus Culleton remains detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a Texas facility, despite holding a valid U.S. work permit and having a pending marriage-based green card application. His detention since early September 2025 has sparked international attention, with Culleton publicly appealing for intervention from Irish authorities and raising alarm over conditions at the El Paso facility where he is held.

Culleton, a 42-year-old from Glenmore in County Kilkenny, who runs a plastering business in the Boston area and is married to a U.S. citizen, Tiffany Smyth, was arrested by ICE officers on September 9, 2025. His arrest followed a license plate check on his vehicle outside a Home Depot in Massachusetts. He was initially taken to a detention facility in Buffalo, New York, before being transferred to the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) camp in El Paso, Texas, nearly 2,500 miles from his home.

Culleton’s Detention and Legal Battle

According to a court ruling by Judge Kathleen Cardone on January 23, 2026, Culleton entered the U.S. in 2009 under a visa waiver program, which permits visits of no more than 90 days. He subsequently overstayed this initial period. Judge Cardone noted that beneficiaries of the visa waiver program “waive any right … to contest other than on the basis of an application for asylum, any action for removal” from the U.S. This waiver of rights applies even when an individual has a pending adjustment of status application based on marriage to a U.S. citizen, citing a 2009 court precedent.

Culleton, who is not seeking asylum, initially requested a bond hearing in October 2025. An immigration judge ordered his release on a $4,000 bond, which his wife promptly paid. However, ICE successfully challenged this decision, arguing that visa waiver recipients are not entitled to make bail bond applications. On November 14, 2025, ICE served Culleton with a final order of removal, citing his violation of the visa waiver terms. The judge criticized ICE for previously misclassifying Culleton, which led to the erroneous bond hearing, stating, “These mistakes muddy the record and undermine faith in the system” and caused “great agony for Culleton and his wife.”

Alarming Conditions at Camp East Montana

Speaking from the Camp East Montana facility to Ireland’s RTÉ radio, Culleton has described his experience as a ‘nightmare’ and likened the conditions to ‘torture.’ He claims to be locked in the same room with 71 other detainees for over four and a half months, with limited food, restricted access to medical care, and minimal time outdoors for fresh air or sunshine. “I’m in fear for my life here,” Culleton stated, adding, “I’m afraid of the staff. They’re capable of anything.” He further described the facility as ‘filthy,’ with ‘completely nasty’ and rarely cleaned toilets and showers, and ‘child-sized’ daily meals leaving everyone hungry.

These claims echo concerns raised by human rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which have previously called for the closure of detention sites like Camp East Montana due to reports of inhumane conditions, abuse, and difficulties in accessing legal assistance. In 2026, six detainees have died while in ICE custody, with two of these deaths occurring at the Camp East Montana facility, reportedly the largest in the nation. Furthermore, El Paso Department of Public Health officials have been notified of tuberculosis cases at Camp East Montana, though the conditions of the affected individuals are not immediately clear, as ICE and its contractors manage treatment within federal custody.

Diplomatic Appeals and Conflicting Claims

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has strongly refuted Culleton’s depiction of the detention center and insisted he has received “full due process.” In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), McLaughlin asserted that Culleton “chose to stay in Ice custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention,” despite being offered immediate removal to Ireland. She stated, “Being in detention is a choice,” and encouraged ‘illegal aliens’ to use the CBP Home app to self-deport, offering $2,600 and a free flight with a chance to return legally later. McLaughlin also told CBS News that ICE facilities maintain “higher detention standards than most US prisons that hold actual US citizens.”

Culleton’s family, including his sister Caroline Culleton, went public with his story this week, hoping to galvanize support for his release. Culleton has appealed directly to Irish authorities, imploring Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise his case with President Donald Trump during his anticipated visit to the White House next month for St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Martin has expressed concern at the conditions of Culleton’s detention and hopes for his release. The case could potentially complicate Dublin’s efforts to maintain good relations with the White House, which has previously criticized Ireland on various policy matters.

The prolonged detention of Seamus Culleton, despite his efforts to regularize his immigration status through marriage and employment, underscores the stringent enforcement mechanisms of the U.S. visa waiver program and the challenges individuals face once their initial entry terms are violated. His case highlights the tension between stated legal processes and humanitarian concerns, particularly as reports of difficult detention conditions persist and diplomatic pressure mounts.