A man who has been in an ICE detention center for over five months has shared his account of the dire conditions he claims to be enduring.
Seamus Culleton, originally from County Kilkenny, Ireland, has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and is married to Tiffany Smyth, an American citizen.
However, on September 9, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained him while he was driving home from work.
Seamus informed the officers that he was awaiting his green card, had a work permit, and was married to an American. Despite this, he was taken into custody, first placed in a Massachusetts holding cell, then transferred to New York, and ultimately to a facility in El Paso, Texas.
For over 15 years, Seamus has been residing in Boston where he manages a construction business. According to Sky News, he compared the detention center to ‘a modern-day concentration camp’.
Speaking to RTE, he described his experience as ‘a nightmare’ and expressed fear for his safety.
Seamus depicted the conditions as ‘filthy’, with toilets and showers being ‘completely nasty’ and rarely cleaned.
“I have barely any outside time, no fresh air, no sunshine. We have two TVs on the wall, there are 72 detainees here in total,” he recounted.
“Our meals are very small, like kid-size portions, and everyone is hungry.”
He described the living space as akin to a ‘tent’ measuring ’16ft by 35ft with no ceiling’, containing two rows of bunk beds and a long table in the middle.
Seamus also noted that illnesses are prevalent among the detainees.
“It’s just torture. 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 lamented.
His wife Tiffany shared with CBS Boston that she hasn’t seen Seamus in person for months but has communicated with him over the phone. She noted changes in his demeanor since his detention.
“He’s lost a lot of weight. You know, he just… Seamus was always a guy – he’s always making a joke, no matter what situation.”
“He’s always goofing around. And that’s just… I don’t know. That’s gone, you know?” she expressed.
According to a spokesperson from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, Seamus had overstayed his welcome after initially entering the US on a visa waiver program that allowed only a 90-day stay.
McLaughlin stated that Seamus was arrested on September 9 and that 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 added, emphasizing, “A pending green card application and work authorization does not give someone legal status to be in our country.”
ICE has been contacted for their response.