ICE has come under fire after sharing a St Patrick’s Day greeting on its X account.
The post featured a photograph of several ICE agents standing in an arrow-like formation. Their faces were blurred, and they appeared to be holding assault rifles, with pistols also visible.
Alongside the image, the agency wrote: “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from ICE!”
Critics quickly filled the replies, with many calling the message inappropriate and highlighting what they viewed as a contradiction: an agency known for immigration enforcement posting a celebratory message tied to another country’s heritage.
Some commenters also pointed to the US’s own history of Irish immigration, arguing that the tone of the post didn’t reflect the struggles Irish migrants have faced in America over generations.
That backlash was further fueled by renewed attention to the detention of Seamus Culleton from County Kilkenny. He was taken into custody in September 2025 despite having lived in the US for 18 years and being married to a US citizen.
According to reports, Culleton was in the middle of a green card application process when he was detained. He was later transferred to a detention facility in El Paso, Texas.
In the comments section, one person referenced his case to argue the post was poorly judged, writing: “A bit ironic as Ireland is one of the most left wing countries in the world & a majority of its people probably despise ICE… also wasn’t there an Irish citizen who was detained in an immigration camp for months?”
Another reply pushed back more directly: “Take our national day out of your mouth,” while someone else added: “Nah. Y’all don’t get to celebrate the holidays of other countries.”
Other responses focused on ICE’s broader record. One person replied with an image of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two US citizens who were shot and killed by ICE agents during a protest.
They captioned the post: “Stop killing us. God Bless America”
Irish migration to the United States has a long and often turbulent history. Over time, tensions between Irish Protestant and Catholic communities played out in parts of the country, at points contributing to outbreaks of violence.
Irish immigrants also faced discrimination after arriving, with the Irish Catholic community in particular becoming a frequent target of hostility and persecution.
Emigration from Ireland to the US increased steadily from the early 1800s into the 1840s, before accelerating sharply during the Potato Blight and the famine that followed.
As starvation spread, huge numbers fled. Millions left after potato crops failed across Ireland, while grain continued to be exported to England even as people struggled to survive.
The scale of the exodus was so large that Ireland’s population has still not returned to its pre-famine level.
ICE has been contacted for comment.