Seamus Culleton, a native of Glenmore, County Kilkenny, Ireland, has found himself at the center of an international debate over U.S. immigration detention practices. After living in Boston for more than 15 years, running a construction company, and marrying a U.S. citizen, Culleton was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 9, 2025. His arrest, which occurred as he returned from a trip to Home Depot in Massachusetts, has brought renewed scrutiny to the conditions faced by detainees at Camp East Montana, an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas.
According to CNN and Irish broadcaster RTÉ, Culleton was stopped by local police outside a Home Depot after a license check, before being taken into custody by ICE agents. Despite informing officers that he was married to a U.S. citizen, had a valid work permit, was in the process of applying for a green card, and had no criminal record, Culleton was detained. "As far as I know I was covered," he told RTÉ from inside the Texas detention center. "None of that mattered; they cuffed me and took me away."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to KFOX14/CBS4 and CBS News Boston that Culleton entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver program, which allows for a 90-day stay without a visa. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "He failed to depart the U.S.. He received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025. He was offered the chance to instantly be removed to Ireland, but chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact, he took affirmative steps to remain in detention." McLaughlin further explained, "A pending green card application and work authorization 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."
Culleton, however, has insisted that he is fighting for his right to stay in the U.S. with his wife, Tiffany Smyth. He refused to sign paperwork agreeing to his deportation, instead opting to challenge his removal based on his pending green card application. Smyth described the experience as "awful," recounting how she went nearly a week without knowing her husband’s whereabouts. "I didn’t know if he got deported, I didn’t know if he was back in Ireland. I had no idea if he was safe… And there’s no one that helps you to get this information," she told RTÉ. Efforts to arrange a visit have so far been fruitless, with Smyth saying, "They say that visits are feasible, but when you try to set one up it’s almost impossible."
Inside Camp East Montana, Culleton described conditions as harrowing. "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, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s a nightmare down here," he told RTÉ. He reported being confined to a large, overcrowded room with more than 70 other men, sleeping in cold, damp conditions under constant artificial lighting. "I’ve been locked in the same room now for four and a half months. I have barely any outside time, no fresh air, no sunshine. We get three meals a day, very very small meals — kid size meals, so everybody is hungry," he said.
The facility, according to Culleton, is "filthy," with toilets and showers "completely nasty" and "very rarely cleaned." His wife, Tiffany, expressed alarm at his deteriorating health, telling CBS News Boston that during a video chat, "He’s lost a lot of weight" and appeared jaundiced. She noted that his usual lightheartedness had vanished, replaced by anxiety and exhaustion. Culleton said he is "in fear for my life here."
DHS has denied all allegations of substandard conditions. In a statement to KFOX14/CBS4, McLaughlin asserted, "These claims that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are FALSE. ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens." Despite these assurances, Camp East Montana has faced persistent criticism from El Paso leaders, human rights organizations, and advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). These groups have highlighted reports of abuse, inadequate medical care, hunger, and denial of legal access at the facility. A December letter from the ACLU and other organizations demanded the closure of Camp East Montana, citing a pattern of abuses including beatings, coercive threats, and sexual assault by officers, as well as medical neglect and insufficient food.
The situation at Camp East Montana has been further complicated by public health concerns. In 2026, six detainees died while in ICE custody nationwide, with two deaths occurring at the El Paso facility. More recently, the City of El Paso Department of Public Health confirmed cases of tuberculosis at Camp East Montana. While city officials acknowledged awareness of the cases, they clarified that ICE and its contracted medical providers are responsible for diagnosis, treatment, and management while individuals remain in federal custody.
Culleton’s case has drawn the attention of the Irish government, which is providing consular assistance and engaging with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at a senior level. A spokesperson for Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told CBS News, "Our Embassy in Washington D.C. is also engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security at a senior level in relation to this case." Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin publicly addressed the issue, stating, "Every country has migration policies, but those ICE facilities are a concern." Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee noted that while only a handful of Irish citizens are currently detained, there has been a significant increase in consular requests for deportation-related assistance, reflecting growing unease within the Irish community in the U.S.
Advocacy groups have pointed out that, while Irish nationals are a minority among ICE detainees, the majority of those held in ICE custody—about 74%—have no criminal convictions, according to recent data. ICE is currently detaining around 70,000 people, the highest number since its founding. Critics argue that the system disproportionately affects Black and brown migrants, who are often held far from public scrutiny and face similar or worse conditions than those described by Culleton.
For now, Seamus Culleton remains at Camp East Montana, awaiting the outcome of his legal battle. His case has become a flashpoint for broader concerns about the U.S. immigration system, the treatment of detainees, and the human cost of protracted detention. As international attention mounts, the question of how the U.S. handles those seeking to regularize their status—especially when they have deep family and community ties—remains unresolved.