The planned deportation of an Irish national, who is currently in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, has been put on hold. Seamus Culleton, originally from Glenmore, County Kilkenny, was taken into ICE custody in September 2025. This occurred while he was actively pursuing his green card application.
Legal representatives for Culleton, identified as the BOS Legal Group based in Boston, Massachusetts, stated that a court has issued a temporary order. This order will pause his deportation proceedings for a period of ten business days.
The US Department of Homeland Security had previously informed BBC News NI that an ongoing green card application, along with work authorization, does not automatically grant an individual legal status to remain within the United States. Culleton initially entered the United States in 2009. He did so under the visa waiver program, a provision that permits stays of up to 90 days without the necessity of a visa.
He is married to a US citizen and operates a plastering business in the Boston metropolitan area. His residency in the US spans nearly 18 years.
“Culleton has resided in the United States for nearly two decades and is married to a US citizen,” a spokesperson for BOS Legal Group remarked. “He has no criminal record since living in the United States.” The spokesperson further elaborated that he “presents no public safety concerns and has strong familial and community ties in the United States.”
The legal group reiterated their commitment, stating, “Our legal team remains focused on securing his release from ICE custody and obtaining the immigration relief necessary for him to be reunited with his wife and to remain in the United States with his family.”
Who is Seamus Culleton?
Although he had previously been undocumented in the US, Culleton’s attorney indicated last week that he was in the final stages of the green card process and possessed a valid work permit. His arrest on September 9, 2025, led to his subsequent detainment across several ICE facilities, with his most recent location being El Paso, Texas. This detention center is situated approximately 4,000 kilometers away from his home in Boston.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Liveline program from the detention center, Culleton described his living conditions. He reported being confined to the same room with 71 other detainees. He characterized these surroundings as squalid, citing insufficient food and minimal opportunities for fresh air, sunlight, or exercise. “You don’t know what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “You don’t know if there’s going to be riots, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s a nightmare down here.”
ICE’s Statement
In a statement provided to BBC News NI the previous week, Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, stated, “On September 9, 2025, ICE arrested Seamus Culleton, an illegal alien from Ireland.” She elaborated that Culleton entered the US in 2009 under the visa waiver program, which allows a 90-day stay without a visa, but he “failed to depart the US.” McLaughlin added that he “received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025.”
She mentioned that Culleton was offered the option to be removed to Ireland. However, she claimed he “chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention.” McLaughlin emphasized that a pending green card application and work authorization do not confer legal status to remain in the country, and that being in detention is a decision. She further stated, “The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 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.”