An Irish man who followed every legal step, secured a work permit, and even paid a judge-approved bond to be released is still being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention after five grueling months. This is because authorities claim he signed a deportation form that he insists is fraudulent, as reported by The Guardian.
Seamus Culleton, originally from County Kilkenny, has been caught up in a system that his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, described as “capricious and inept.” Seamus, whom his lawyer described as a “model immigrant,” is married to a US citizen, Tiffany Smyth, and he runs a successful plastering business in the Boston area. He’s built a life here, and yet he’s been treated like a fugitive.
The trouble started on September 9, 2025, when Seamus was arrested during a random immigration sweep while he was just buying supplies at a hardware store. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a Massachusetts driving license and a valid work authorization document. This permit was tied to his application for lawful permanent residence, or a green card, which he initiated back in April 2025.
Meanwhile, the conditions Seamus is enduring are absolutely horrific
Seamus entered the US back in 2009 on a visa waiver program and did overstay the initial 90-day limit. However, after marrying Tiffany, he obtained a statutory exemption that allowed him to work legally while his green card application processed. His lawyer confirmed he had a work-approved authorization, meaning he was doing everything right. It’s crazy that his detention has now prevented him from attending the final interview that would confirm his legal status.
The legal process seemed to offer a path out, though. After being held in facilities near Boston and then in Buffalo, New York, a judge approved his release on a $4,000 bond at a November hearing. Tiffany paid that bond, expecting her husband to come home.
That’s where the system went completely off the rails. Despite the judge’s order and the paid bond, authorities kept Seamus locked up. When his attorney appealed the decision to a federal court, two ICE agents claimed that back in the Buffalo facility, Seamus had signed documents agreeing to be deported. Seamus vehemently denies this, saying the signatures are not his.
The judge noted that there were irregularities in the court documents presented by ICE, but ultimately sided with the agency. He can’t appeal this decision under current US law, but he’s desperate to get handwriting experts to examine the signatures. He also believes that video footage of his interview with ICE in Buffalo would prove he refused to sign any deportation papers. As he said, “My whole life is here. I worked so hard to build my business. My wife is here.”
Seamus was flown to a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, where he’s sharing a cell with more than 70 other men. He described the center as cold, damp, and squalid, noting that fights break out over the insufficient food. He told reporters the facility was “like a concentration camp, absolute hell.”
Published: Feb 10, 2026 01:30 pm