Irish Immigrant With Valid Work Permit Held by ICE for Nearly Five Months Despite No Criminal Record
An Irish man with a valid U.S. work permit and no criminal history has been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention since last September, raising fresh questions about immigration enforcement and due process.
Seamus Culleton, originally from County Kilkenny but living in the United States for more than two decades, was stopped by ICE agents on September 9, 2025, on his way home from work in Boston, according to reports. At the time, he was carrying his Massachusetts driver’s licence and a valid work permit tied to his ongoing green card application — which has one interview remaining.
Despite having no criminal record, Culleton was taken into custody and moved between facilities in the Northeast before being flown to an ICE centre in El Paso, Texas, where he has shared a large, cold room with dozens of other detainees for nearly five months. Conditions are described as overcrowded, with limited outdoor time and insufficient food.
A judge approved a $4,000 bond in November that his wife paid, but ICE later refused to release him without clear justification. ICE agents have claimed Culleton signed documents agreeing to deportation in Buffalo; he says the signatures aren’t his and that he explicitly refused to sign any such papers.
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“My whole life is here,” Culleton said, stressing that he built his business in the U.S. and that his wife is a U.S. citizen. He continues to contest his detention and seeks review of documents and interview footage to prove he never agreed to deportation.
His lawyer describes him as a “model immigrant,” and the Irish government has confirmed it is providing consular assistance. The case is part of broader concerns about immigration enforcement practices under the current administration.
What happens next could hinge on further legal review and diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Irish governments.
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