US official says Irish man’s claims about Ice detention facilities are false
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association
An Irish man’s description of immigration detention facilities are “false”, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said.
Seamus Culleton has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) since September.
He has described “horrible” conditions at the facility, which he likened to a “modern-day concentration camp”.
In a statement to the Press Association on Tuesday, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “These claims that there are subprime conditions at Ice facilities are false.
“Ice has higher detention standards than most US prisons that hold actual US citizens.”
Culleton is originally from Co Kilkenny but has been living in the US for almost 20 years and is married to a US citizen.
He was driving home after finishing work when he was detained by Ice agents on September 9th, 2025.
Culleton said he had a work permit but was arrested and taken from Massachusetts to an Ice facility in El Paso, Texas.
The DHS has alleged that when Culleton arrived in the US in 2009, under a visa waiver programme, allowing people to stay in the US for 90 days without a visa, he did not leave after this period.
“A pending green card application and work authorisation does not give someone legal status to be in our country.
“Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to use the CBP Home app to take control of their departure. The United States is offering illegal aliens 2,600 dollars and a free flight to self-deport now.
“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the US the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.
“These claims that there are subprime conditions at Ice facilities are false. Ice has higher detention standards than most US prisons that hold actual US citizens.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said it was a “really distressing” situation for Culleton and her officials were working to support his family.
Asked on Tuesday if she was aware of other similar cases of Irish people with a right to be in the US being detained by Ice, she said: “I am aware of a small number of cases where people have directly reached out to our embassy teams.”
McEntee added: “If there are other people in that type of scenario, please engage with our teams – we’re there to support them.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin later told the Dáil that Irish officials were aware of five to six cases.
He said the cases “vary in terms of status” but the Government would do everything it could to help Culleton.
Culleton said he would like the Taoiseach to raise his case with US President Donald Trump during his meeting at the White House in March for St Patrick’s Day.
Asked if he would do so, Martin said on Tuesday that Government officials will see what more they can do in “communication with the administration”.
He said Government officials have been engaging with local officials and Ice about Culleton’s case.
Speaking before a Cabinet meeting in Dublin, the Taoiseach said: “We will see what more, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, what we can do in terms of our communication with the administration.
“I fully empathise with the position he is in, he has been in the United States quite a long time, he’s married there.
“I’m not clear on the full background to it but certainly we would like to see him out of that facility.”
Asked if he was broadly concerned about the US administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, Martin said the Government has been concerned about undocumented Irish citizens “for a long time” through a range of US administrations.
He added: “There is now a crackdown in America in terms of the implementation of migration law which we are concerned about in terms of how it affects the Irish undocumented.”
Martin said the approach had been to seek legal channels to regularise the situation for Irish and US citizens in the States.
He said living in the US without status was a “very difficult and dangerous” position to be in.
Martin said it has been difficult to get “consensus on the Hill” as different countries lobby US congress for support on migration measures.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Simon Harris said it was an “extremely stressful time” for Culleton and his family.
Asked if Martin should raise the issue with Trump, he said: “I take the point that’s made about what may or may not happen on March 17th, I would just make the point, there’s a fair whack of time to go between now and March 17th, and certainly Ireland and Irish authorities, through our diplomatic channels, will be continuing to engage, to make the point, to make their representations between now and then.
“Of course, then the Taoiseach and the Government will judge where that’s at.”
Asked the same question, McEntee said “there is always a time and a place” to raise individual cases, and added: “I have no doubt the Taoiseach will give it consideration but it is important to stress we are already providing assistance to Seamus.”
