Detention Horror: Irish 20-Year Resident Disappears

An Irish national with a valid work permit, married to an American citizen, has been held in an ICE detention facility for five months under conditions he describes as psychological and physical torture.

Story Snapshot

Seamus Culleton, living legally in the US for 20 years with a pending green card, was detained by ICE in September 2025 without clear explanation
He describes El Paso detention center conditions as a “modern-day concentration camp” with 72 people crammed into a 16ft by 35ft tent, rampant illness, and inadequate food and sanitation
Despite having no criminal record and valid work authorization, Culleton has lost significant weight, developed infections and sores, and suffers ongoing health deterioration
His wife, a US citizen, has been unable to secure his release despite appeals to senators and efforts to attend court hearings that were repeatedly rescheduled
Irish officials are providing consular support and engaging with the Department of Homeland Security at senior levels

When Legal Status Means Nothing

Seamus Culleton was driving home from work in Massachusetts when ICE agents surrounded his vehicle. The Irish national from County Kilkenny had spent nearly two decades building a life in America. He possessed a valid work permit. He was married to a US citizen. His green card application was pending. None of it mattered. Despite explaining his legal status, agents detained him on the spot. His family still doesn’t know why. What followed was a bureaucratic nightmare that transformed into a humanitarian crisis, raising fundamental questions about due process and detention conditions in America’s immigration enforcement system.

The Journey to El Paso

After his September 2025 arrest, Culleton was shuffled through a series of facilities like cargo being rerouted. Massachusetts holding cells gave way to New York processing centers before he landed at the El Paso, Texas detention facility, where he would remain for nearly five months. Each transfer complicated his legal situation further. Court hearings got rescheduled. His wife Tiffany attempted to attend proceedings but found herself chasing phantom dates across jurisdictions. The delays weren’t mere inconveniences. They represented a systematic erosion of his ability to mount an effective legal defense while his physical and mental health deteriorated thousands of miles from anyone who could help him.

Inside the Tent City

Culleton’s description of conditions at the El Paso facility paints a portrait of institutional neglect that should alarm any American who values human dignity. Seventy-two men packed into a space measuring 16 feet by 35 feet, a tent-like structure operated by private security contractors. The math alone tells the story: less than eight square feet per person. Filthy conditions bred illness that spread rapidly through the cramped quarters. Food arrived in insufficient quantities. Sanitation facilities couldn’t handle the population. Outdoor time was minimal. Culleton reported losing substantial weight, developing sores and infections, and watching his hair fall out. He characterized the experience as torture, both psychological and physical.

The Family Left Behind

Tiffany Culleton has spent five months advocating for her husband’s release, hitting wall after wall. She reached out to senators. She attempted to contact President Trump directly. She tried to attend court hearings only to discover they’d been rescheduled without notice. Phone contact with her husband was severely limited. Visits proved nearly impossible to arrange. The couple had been planning to start a family. Now she spends her days worrying whether her husband will survive his detention. His sister Caroline reported that their mother in Ireland has suffered health impacts from the stress. The ripple effects of Culleton’s detention extend across an ocean, devastating a family whose only crime was trying to navigate America’s byzantine immigration system legally.

The Diplomatic Angle

The Irish government has mobilized its consular apparatus in response to Culleton’s plight. Minister Helen McEntee confirmed that officials are providing assistance through the Austin Consulate and a Dublin-based unit, while the Irish embassy in Washington engages with Department of Homeland Security leadership. Culleton has publicly appealed to Taoiseach Micheal Martin to raise his case during a scheduled March meeting with President Trump at the White House. The diplomatic implications are delicate. Ireland values its relationship with America, but leaving one of its citizens to languish under these conditions without forceful advocacy would send a message to Irish nationals worldwide about how much their government values their welfare when push comes to shove.

What the Law Says Versus What Happens

Culleton’s case exposes the gap between immigration law theory and enforcement reality. He possessed legal work authorization. His marriage to a US citizen should have provided a straightforward path to permanent residency. He had no criminal record. Yet ICE detained him anyway, and the system has kept him locked up for months without resolution. Immigration enforcement has broad discretion, but discretion without accountability becomes arbitrary power. The Trump administration expanded ICE operations with the stated goal of enhancing public safety by removing dangerous individuals. Culleton doesn’t fit that profile. His detention suggests the enforcement net has been cast so wide that it’s catching people who pose no threat and who were actively following legal processes to regularize their status.

The Bigger Picture

Culleton’s situation isn’t unique. The El Paso facility houses dozens experiencing similar conditions. Complaints about overcrowding and poor hygiene at ICE detention centers predate this administration but have intensified as detention numbers have surged. Private contractors operate many of these facilities, creating profit incentives that don’t necessarily align with humane treatment. The tent structures that house detainees weren’t designed for long-term human habitation. They were emergency measures that became permanent fixtures. Precedents exist for prolonged detention of individuals awaiting immigration status adjustments, often challenged through habeas corpus petitions that get bogged down in court backlogs. The system isn’t broken by accident. It’s functioning exactly as designed, prioritizing detention capacity over due process or human welfare.