Quick Read
- Seamus Culleton, an Irish immigrant with a valid U.S. work permit, has been in ICE detention since September 2025.
- He denies signing documents agreeing to his deportation, a claim central to the ongoing legal dispute.
- Culleton, married to a U.S. citizen and operating a business near Boston, has no criminal record.
- His lawyer describes the U.S. immigration system as “capricious and inept” in his case.
- Conditions in the ICE facility in El Paso, Texas, have been described by Culleton as “absolute hell.”
BOSTON (Azat TV) – Irish plastering business owner Seamus Culleton, a legal U.S. resident for over two decades, remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention more than five months after his initial arrest, embroiled in a contentious legal battle over his alleged consent to deportation. His ongoing confinement, despite holding a valid work permit and being married to a U.S. citizen, has drawn renewed attention to the complexities and perceived injustices within the U.S. immigration system, as reported by outlets including Yahoo News and The Guardian.
Culleton, originally from County Kilkenny, has no criminal record and operates a successful plastering business near Boston. He was apprehended by ICE agents during what his lawyer described as a random immigration sweep on September 9, 2025, while driving home from work. Despite possessing his Massachusetts driver’s license and valid work permit, he was detained and subsequently transferred to multiple ICE facilities, first in Buffalo, New York, and later to El Paso, Texas.
Seamus Culleton’s Ongoing Detention and Legal Dispute
During his initial processing in Buffalo, Culleton claims he explicitly refused to sign papers agreeing to his deportation, instead checking a box to contest the action. His grounds for appeal included his marriage to a U.S. citizen and his pending application for permanent resident status, which was filed in April 2025. However, ICE agents later asserted in federal court that Culleton had indeed signed documents consenting to his own deportation—a claim he vehemently denies, stating the signatures could not be his.
A federal judge, while noting irregularities in the disputed documents, ultimately sided with ICE. Culleton believes that video footage of his interview with ICE in Buffalo would corroborate his refusal to sign the deportation order. He also highlighted the bureaucratic contradiction of his situation, stating, “You have one section of the government trying to deport me, and another trying to give me a green card,” as reported by Yahoo News.
Harsh Conditions in ICE Custody
Culleton has described the conditions at the ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas, as “like a concentration camp, absolute hell.” In a phone interview, he recounted sharing a large, cold, and damp room with over 70 other men. Meals are reportedly small, child-sized portions, often leading to disputes among detainees. He stated that he has been allowed outside for fresh air and exercise fewer than 12 times during his nearly five-month detention, spending most days confined to a bed.
His wife paid a $4,000 bond for his release in November 2025, but the bond was subsequently denied, a rare occurrence in similar cases. The emotional toll on his family has been significant, with his wife, Smyth, describing five months of ‘heartbreak, stress, anxiety and anger,’ according to The Guardian. She further emphasized the lack of hygiene and limited outdoor access for detainees.
Legal Challenges and Broader Concerns
Culleton’s attorney, Ogor Winnie Okoye of BOS Legal Group in Massachusetts, has characterized her client as a “model immigrant” who has fallen victim to a “capricious and inept system.” Okoye stressed that the U.S. government possesses discretionary power to release Culleton, an immigrant actively pursuing the green card process. “Here’s a gentleman who is a model immigrant,” she stated, highlighting the perceived unfairness of his prolonged detention.
The case of Seamus Culleton underscores persistent concerns regarding the treatment of immigrants within the U.S. detention system, particularly those with strong ties to the country and no criminal history. His ongoing legal battle highlights how procedural disputes and contested claims can lead to prolonged and challenging detentions, even for individuals with otherwise stable legal standing and community integration.
The continued detention of Seamus Culleton, despite his clear legal standing and community contributions, draws critical attention to the discretionary power exercised by immigration authorities and the systemic challenges faced by individuals navigating complex U.S. immigration processes.