Government aware of ‘very small number’ of Irish nationals detained by Ice in US
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association
There are a “very small number of cases” of Irish nationals in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention centres, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs has said.
The case of Seamus Culleton, who has been detained by Ice since September, gained national attention after his family raised his situation in the media this week.
Mr Culleton is originally from Co Kilkenny but has been living in the US for almost 20 years and is married to a US citizen.
I am aware of a small number of cases where people have directly reached out to our embassy teams
He was driving home after finishing work when he was detained by Ice agents in September 2025.
Mr Culleton said he had a work permit but was arrested and transported from Massachusetts to an Ice facility in El Paso, Texas.
Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said it was a “really distressing” situation for Mr Culleton and said her officials were working to support his family.
Asked on Tuesday if she was aware of other similar cases of Irish people with a right to be in the US being detained by Ice, she said: “I am aware of a small number of cases where people have directly reached out to our embassy teams.”
McEntee added: “If there are other people in that type of scenario, please engage with our teams – we’re there to support them.”
Asked if it was less than a dozen, she said: “Yes, a very small number of cases.”
Culleton said he would like Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise his case with US President Donald Trump during his meeting at the White House in March for St Patrick’s Day.
Asked if he would do so, Martin told reporters on Tuesday that Government officials will see what more they can do in “communication with the administration”.
He said Government officials have been engaging with local officials and Ice about Mr Culleton’s case.
Speaking before a Cabinet meeting in Dublin, the Taoiseach said: “We will see what more – with the Minister for Foreign Affairs – what we can do in terms of our communication with the administration.
“I fully empathise with the position he is in, he has been in the United States quite a long time, he’s married there.
“I’m not clear on the full background to it but certainly we would like to see him out of that facility.”
Asked if he was broadly concerned about the US administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, Martin said the Government has been concerned about undocumented Irish citizens “for a long time” through a range of US administrations.
He added: “There is now a crackdown in America in terms of the implementation of migration law which we are concerned about in terms of how it affects the Irish undocumented.”
Martin said the approach had been to seek legal channels to regularise the situation for Irish and US citizens in the States.
He said living in the US without status was a “very difficult and dangerous” position to be in.
Martin said it has been difficult to get “consensus on the Hill” as different nations lobby the US Congress for support on migration measures.
Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Harris said it is an “extremely stressful time” for Mr Culleton and his family.
Asked if Martin should raise the issue with Trump, he said: “I take the point that’s made about what may or may not happen on March 17, I would just make the point, there’s a fair whack of time to go between now and March 17, and certainly Ireland and Irish authorities, through our diplomatic channels, will be continuing to engage, to make the point, to make their representations between now and then.
“Of course, then the Taoiseach and the Government will judge where that’s at.”
Asked the same question, McEntee said “there is always a time and a place” to raise individual cases, and added: “I have no doubt the Taoiseach will give it consideration but it is important to stress we are already providing assistance to Seamus.”
