An Irish man, Seamus Culleton, has been detained by U.S. immigration officials for nearly five months despite claiming he holds a valid work permit and has a pending green card application as the spouse of an American citizen. Culleton, who has resided in the U.S. for almost two decades, is currently held at the El Paso Camp East Montana, an ICE detention facility located within the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas.
In a phone interview with Irish state broadcaster RTÉ, Culleton described his experience in detention as a “nightmare.” He expressed his fears for his safety, stating, “You don’t know what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis. You don’t know if there’s going to be riots.” He characterized the facility as consisting of “a bunch of temporary tents,” and indicated he has rarely seen the outdoors since his arrest on September 9, 2025.
Culleton detailed the dire conditions he faces, mentioning limited outdoor access and inadequate meal portions. “We get three meals a day, very very small meals — kid size meals, so everybody is hungry,” he said. He criticized the hygiene standards, claiming the toilets and showers were “completely nasty” and “very rarely cleaned.”
In response to Culleton’s allegations, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, stated that the claims regarding the conditions at the facility are “FALSE.” McLaughlin asserted that ICE maintains higher detention standards than many U.S. prisons housing citizens. She confirmed that Culleton was arrested as he had overstayed his visa, which he entered the U.S. under in 2009 through the tourist visa waiver program.
“He was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge,” McLaughlin stated, adding that Culleton was offered the option to return to Ireland but opted to remain in ICE custody. Under U.S. law, individuals with pending immigration applications can still be arrested if they lack permanent immigration status, a practice that has become more common under current administration policies.
Culleton maintains he was in the process of acquiring lawful permanent residency and had a valid work permit at the time of his arrest. As a plasterer, he was apprehended by federal agents while driving home after a stop at a store. His vehicle was flagged by local police during a license check outside a Home Depot in Massachusetts, leading to his detention.
Estimates from the Irish government suggest that as many as 10,000 undocumented Irish immigrants reside in the U.S., many having overstayed their temporary visas. A spokesperson for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that officials are providing consular support to Culleton and his family, engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security regarding his case.
Further complicating the situation, the American Civil Liberties Union and other human rights organizations have raised concerns about conditions at the El Paso Camp East Montana. They allege a pattern of abuses, including violence, medical neglect, and insufficient access to legal counsel. The letter from these organizations calls for the closure of the facility, highlighting serious human rights violations.
As Culleton’s case unfolds, it underscores the complexities and challenges faced by immigrants navigating the U.S. immigration system, particularly those who find themselves detained despite pending applications for legal status.
