US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has firmly rejected claims of torture made by an Irish national detained in Texas for overstaying his visa, asserting that the United States remains a nation of law and order. Seamus Culleton, who built a life in the Boston area over more than two decades, entered the US in 2009 on a 90-day tourist visa waiver, according to a federal court ruling in El Paso.
Detention Conditions Described as Nightmare
Speaking to Ireland's RTÉ radio this week, Culleton described his detention center as torture and expressed fear for his life. The Kilkenny native compared the facility to a modern-day concentration camp, alleging that people have been killed by security staff and that detainees face unpredictable daily conditions. He detailed 72 individuals crammed into a tent-sized space with no ceiling, filthy toilets, rampant illnesses, and competition for inadequate meals, admitting he has lost significant weight during his four-and-a-half-month confinement.
Legal Battle and Marriage-Based Application
Culleton married a US citizen and applied for a marriage-based green card, but Federal Judge Kathleen Cardone denied his bid for freedom in January. The judge ruled that the visa waiver program he used requires participants to waive rights to contest deportation except on asylum grounds, a precedent established in 2009. Culleton confirmed during proceedings that he was not seeking asylum, leaving him without legal recourse despite his marriage and pending adjustment of status application.
ICE's Public Response and Irish Warrants
On Friday, ICE responded directly to Culleton's allegations on its official X account, emphasizing that he overstayed his visa by 16 years and violated federal immigration law. The agency's statement came shortly after an Irish Times report revealed that Culleton faces active arrest warrants in Ireland for drug-related offenses allegedly committed soon after he entered the US. According to the outlet, warrants were issued in April 2009 for drug possession and intent to supply, along with charges of obstructing police during a search where ecstasy tablets were reportedly thrown to the ground.
Attorney's Defense and Family Appeals
Culleton's US attorney, Ogor Winnie Okoye, stated during a press conference that she only recently learned of the Irish warrants and emphasized that warrants do not imply guilt. She noted that Culleton had obtained work authorization tied to his green card application but missed his final interview in October due to detention. His wife, Tiffany Smyth, described using an online ICE detainee tracker to discover he had been moved to Texas after a frantic one-minute phone call announcing his arrest. Culleton's sister Caroline called the arrest the start of a nightmare that put his life on hold.
Arrest Details and Emotional Pleas
Culleton recounted to RTÉ News that he was followed by multiple vehicles after leaving a Home Depot store in September last year, then surrounded by officers who handcuffed him despite his Massachusetts driver's license, work permit, and pending immigration petition. In emotional appeals, he urged Irish Premier Micheal Martin to raise his case with US leadership during an upcoming visit, pleading for help to return to his wife and start a family. He described suffering psychological and physical torture, unsure how much more he could endure.
Government Defense of Detention Standards
The US Department of Homeland Security maintains that Culleton has been treated fairly throughout the process. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin dismissed criticism of the Texas detention facility, telling CBS News that ICE maintains higher standards than most US prisons holding citizens, despite calls from human rights groups to shut down the center. The department continues to assert that visa overstays represent clear violations of immigration law that must be addressed through proper legal channels.
