Seamus Culleton’s ICE case deepens after 2009 Irish arrest warrant revealed
The high-profile case of Seamus Culleton, an Irish man held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has taken a new turn. Reports say an Irish court issued an arrest warrant for him in 2009, months after he arrived in the United States.
The disclosure adds fresh controversy to a case that has drawn attention amid intensified ICE enforcement across the US since last year.
What the Irish warrant is alleged to relate to
The warrant was issued by a district court in New Ross, County Wexford, in April 2009, according to reports. It relates to alleged offences from the previous year.
The allegations include possession of drugs for sale or supply. He also faced a separate allegation of obstructing a garda during a search. A garda is an Irish police officer.
In that account, Culleton allegedly threw 25 ecstasy tablets onto the ground during the search.
Why the case has become a flashpoint in the US
Culleton has spent five months in US custody and is facing deportation, despite having a valid work permit, according to his lawyer. The case has attracted widespread publicity in Ireland and the US.
Earlier this week, Culleton spoke from an ICE detention centre in El Paso, Texas, in an interview with Irish broadcaster RTÉ. He described the conditions as dangerous and said he feared for his safety.
He also appealed to the Irish government to raise his case with Donald Trump. He said he wants to return to his wife, a US citizen, and to his plastering business in the Boston area.
Political pressure grows in Ireland
The detention has triggered criticism in Ireland. Some politicians and commentators have accused Taoiseach Micheál Martin of not doing enough.
The case has become a symbol for broader concerns about immigration sweeps and prolonged detentions in the United States.
What his lawyer says about his record
Culleton’s lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, has described him as a “model immigrant” with no criminal record. She has argued he is not a flight risk and should be considered for favourable discretion.
Okoye initially gave his age as 42, then corrected it to 38. That revised age matches the date of birth on Irish court records linked to the alleged drug case, according to reports.
In a press conference, she said she learned about the Irish case through the media. She also said her client would not have been aware of a warrant issued after he left Ireland.
She added that a warrant is not a conviction.
The US government’s account of the deportation process
A senior official at the US Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, said in a social media post that Culleton overstayed his visa and failed to leave the country.
She said an immigration judge issued a final order of removal on September 10, 2025. She also said he was offered the option of immediate deportation to Ireland, but chose to remain in ICE custody while contesting the case.
Culleton disputes the claim that he consented to deportation. He has said his life is in the United States and that he is fighting removal.
The new reporting around the Irish warrant is now likely to intensify scrutiny of both his past and the handling of his case in the US immigration system