ICE hits back at Irishman who described detention center as 'absolute hell' and said he fears for his life
Topics: Immigration, US News
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/CBS Boston
Topics: Immigration, US News
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hit back at a man from Ireland who's lived in the Boston area for the past 20+ years after he was detained for overstaying his visa.
A Texas court ruling stated Seamus Culleton first entered the US in 2009 on a 90-day tourist visa. However, he has since settled in America, married a US citizen and applied for a green card that would extend his stay and allow him to remain with his partner.
But a federal judge in El Paso has denied the request, and Seamus remains in a detention center, which he's described as 'torture'.
Speaking to RTÉ radio from the El Paso center, the 42-year-old said he's 'in fear for my life here', adding: "The best way I could describe it is probably like a modern-day concentration camp. People have been killed by the security staff here. You don't know what's going to happen on a day-to-day basis. It's a nightmare down here."
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The Irish native went on to say he's been locked in a room with over 70 other detainees in poor conditions with insufficient food and drink.
"You don’t know what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis," he added to RTÉ. "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. Showers and toilets were 'filthy' and daily meals were child-sized. So everybody is hungry."
The Kilkenny native, who's been held in the center since September 2025, claims he's been in a 'tent' the size of a '16ft by 35ft room with no ceiling'.
"I don't know how much more I can take. I just want to get back to my wife. We're so desperate to start a family," Seamus continued.
ICE has since hit back at the Irishman's comments, with a blunt tweet issued on X.
They said: "This man overstayed his visa... BY 16 YEARS. We are a nation of law and order — overstaying your visa violates federal immigration law."
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin previously told CNN that Seamus was arrested on September 9 last year and 'received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025'.
She continued: "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. A pending green card application and work authorization does not give someone legal status to be in our country."
UNILAD has previously reached out to ICE for comment.