An Irishman living in the United States for nearly two decades now fears for his life after being swept up in an immigration enforcement crackdown, turning his American dream into a harrowing nightmare. Seamus Culleton, 38, had built a life in Boston, married an American citizen, obtained a work permit, and was merely one appointment away from securing a permanent green card. Today, he languishes in what he describes as a "filthy concentration camp" at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A Life Interrupted: From Boston to Texas Detention
Seamus Culleton exists in two starkly different realities: the cherished memories of his wife, Tiffany Smyth, and the grim confines of a Texas detention facility. Tiffany shared photographs that capture their life together—sunbathing on beaches, posing with their two dogs, and celebrating their engagement with beaming smiles. However, that hope was brutally snatched away five months ago when ICE agents detained Seamus at a building supplies store in Boston.
Via Buffalo, New York, he was transported to Camp East Montana, where he is housed with 70 other detainees in a single tent. In a phone call from the centre, his Irish accent poignant against the backdrop of despair, Seamus expressed grave concerns for his safety. "If it can happen to me… it can kind of happen to anyone," he lamented, highlighting the precariousness faced by immigrants under current policies.
Legal Limbo and Humanitarian Concerns
A native of Kilkenny, Seamus arrived in the US in 2009 on a visa waiver but overstayed the permitted 90 days. His marriage to an American citizen later granted him the right to seek a change of status, and he had successfully obtained a work permit. Despite this, the Department of Homeland Security labels him as "an illegal alien from Ireland," asserting that a green card application and work permit do not confer legal status.
His lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, has condemned the conditions at the detention centre as "deplorable, unimaginable, inhumane," arguing they are unfit even for the most serious criminals. Recent data indicates that ICE currently holds around 70,000 people, with 74% having no criminal conviction, underscoring the broad reach of immigration enforcement.
Political Context and Personal Resilience
This case unfolds against the backdrop of former President Donald Trump's pledge to execute the greatest mass deportation in US history, targeting what he termed "the worst of the worst" criminals. Seamus's lawyer vehemently disputes this characterisation, stating, "Seamus is not the worst of the worst. He's the best of what this country's all about, immigrants coming in and making a difference."
Despite the ordeal, Seamus refuses to abandon his American dream. He clings to a mental image of reunion: "The picture in my mind, if I got released, would be just my wife waiting for me with her arms open... and giving her a kiss. It's been so long since I've seen her." His wife, Tiffany, recalled the agonising moment he phoned to say he had been detained, left without answers for days, describing the situation as "hard to believe" through her tears.
Broader Implications for Immigration Policy
Seamus Culleton's story raises urgent questions about the treatment of immigrants in the US, particularly those with strong ties to the country and pending legal applications. As debates over immigration reform intensify, his case exemplifies the human cost of enforcement actions that can uproot lives built over years. The deployment of ICE agents has sparked protests across US cities, reflecting widespread concern over the agency's methods and the conditions in detention facilities.
In summary, this Irishman's journey from a hopeful life in Boston to a feared existence in Texas detention underscores the volatile nature of US immigration policy under crackdowns, leaving many to wonder about the future of the American dream for countless others in similar predicaments.
