Irish-born husband of U.S. citizen, based in Wakefield, Mass., in ICE detention for 5 months

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole overstaying the visa argument is flawed. Yes he did, but that was in the last. It's like prosecuting someone for speeding 15 years ago.

His current situation:
Culleton entered the US in 2009 on a visa waiver programme and overstayed the 90-day limit but after marrying a US citizen, Tiffany Smyth, and applying for lawful permanent residence, he obtained a statutory exemption that allowed him to work, according to his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye.

The detention prevented him from attending the final interview in October for his green card that would have confirmed his legal status, said Okoye. “It’s inexplicable that this man has been in detention.”

That’s ridiculous. More like he was speeding 15 years ago, and KEPT ON SPEEDING even though he knew the rules. The thing that changes is that enforcement has been increased.

It's not the same. We're talking about people's lives, not speeding.

All this bureaucracy creates crimes. If someone has no criminal history and can get a job with enough income to support themselves, they should be allowed to come and stay so long as they continue to meet that bar. What right do any of us have to tell anyone else that they can't move freely around this planet that belongs to us all? That people suffering violence poverty and corruption must stay and endure that because of where they happened to be born and who their parents were. It's stupid. All of this is stupid. Let people live.

Right? Why have borders or laws at all. We should all be free to move wherever we want, whenever we want.

You’re right. There should be no open borders. The last time this continent had open borders, All the Europeans came and killed off the majority of the continent’s inhabitant. The remaining few inhabitants the pro-open borders Europeans did not genocide were placed in prisons called reservations. To top it off, the European invaders who practiced open borders plied the remaining native population with poisons such as alcohol and infected diseased blankets. So no, this continent cannot try that open border bull crap again. After all, we cannot have a repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could have sent him back to Ireland 5 months ago but instead are essentially keeping him in a concentration camp instead?

No, he has chosen to stay in detention. He will be released if he agrees to deportation. He will not be released back into the US absent legal status that allows him to stay. That status could be conferred by a judge pending his green card issuance, or not.

He has a right to a bond hearing, but they are illegally denying him that. That would get him out while he awaits a hearing on whether he actually violated any immigration law, which has not been determined. He missed his green card hearing because he’s locked up.

It’s quite likely his application had some fraud indicators. We don’t actually know what is going on behind the scenes.

So your rank speculation is somehow justification for indefinite detention in inhumane conditions? You people are sick.

Is it speculation when we know that USCIS is no longer turning a blind eye to fraud flags?
I’m not justifying the detention in horrible conditions. That needs to be fixed. But this individual was not randomly picked up.

Yes, you are speculating because you have no actual information about fraud. If he committed fraud, then they can prove that in a hearing. But they are refusing to do that. Probably because they have no evidence and are instead using the indefinite detention and inhumane conditions to force him to agree to deportation. That’s their whole immigration strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also read he overstayed a 90 day tourist visa"

Oooh a serious crime indeed.
We are blacking out pedophile co-conspirator names and putting Irish husbands in jail??!

Put him on a plane to Ireland and be done with it.

He was offered the option of being put on a plane and declined it. It’s probably not too late to change his mind.

There are rumors he has warrants back in Ireland.

Link or it didn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if it's been noted yet but Cullenton's wife paid a $4000 bond for his release, but he was not released and the bond was not returned. What's the point of a bond, then?

"At a November hearing a judge approved his release on a $4,000 bond, which Smyth paid, but authorities continued to detain Culleton, initially without explanation."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-seamus-culleton-ice-detention

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could have sent him back to Ireland 5 months ago but instead are essentially keeping him in a concentration camp instead?

No, he has chosen to stay in detention. He will be released if he agrees to deportation. He will not be released back into the US absent legal status that allows him to stay. That status could be conferred by a judge pending his green card issuance, or not.

He has a right to a bond hearing, but they are illegally denying him that. That would get him out while he awaits a hearing on whether he actually violated any immigration law, which has not been determined. He missed his green card hearing because he’s locked up.

It’s quite likely his application had some fraud indicators. We don’t actually know what is going on behind the scenes.

So your rank speculation is somehow justification for indefinite detention in inhumane conditions? You people are sick.

Is it speculation when we know that USCIS is no longer turning a blind eye to fraud flags?
I’m not justifying the detention in horrible conditions. That needs to be fixed. But this individual was not randomly picked up.

Yes, you are speculating because you have no actual information about fraud. If he committed fraud, then they can prove that in a hearing. But they are refusing to do that. Probably because they have no evidence and are instead using the indefinite detention and inhumane conditions to force him to agree to deportation. That’s their whole immigration strategy.

Summary deportation was a condition of his visa if he overstayed. I don’t know why they don’t just ship him home.

[Anonymous]

Would anyone here knowingly overstay a visa for decades in another country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could have sent him back to Ireland 5 months ago but instead are essentially keeping him in a concentration camp instead?

No, he has chosen to stay in detention. He will be released if he agrees to deportation. He will not be released back into the US absent legal status that allows him to stay. That status could be conferred by a judge pending his green card issuance, or not.

He has a right to a bond hearing, but they are illegally denying him that. That would get him out while he awaits a hearing on whether he actually violated any immigration law, which has not been determined. He missed his green card hearing because he’s locked up.

It’s quite likely his application had some fraud indicators. We don’t actually know what is going on behind the scenes.

So your rank speculation is somehow justification for indefinite detention in inhumane conditions? You people are sick.

Is it speculation when we know that USCIS is no longer turning a blind eye to fraud flags?
I’m not justifying the detention in horrible conditions. That needs to be fixed. But this individual was not randomly picked up.

Yes, you are speculating because you have no actual information about fraud. If he committed fraud, then they can prove that in a hearing. But they are refusing to do that. Probably because they have no evidence and are instead using the indefinite detention and inhumane conditions to force him to agree to deportation. That’s their whole immigration strategy.

Summary deportation was a condition of his visa if he overstayed. I don’t know why they don’t just ship him home.

Because you just made that up. Things you make up aren’t actually the law

[Anonymous]

Three things to note, or question:
One, This is the exact “crime” Melania committed - overstaying a tourist visa. She never left.
Two, why on earth is this couple living in the USA? They could be living in Ireland, which is far better than the USA under this administration.
Three, why doesn’t Ireland speak up and rescue him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three things to note, or question:
One, This is the exact “crime” Melania committed - overstaying a tourist visa. She never left.
Two, why on earth is this couple living in the USA? They could be living in Ireland, which is far better than the USA under this administration.
Three, why doesn’t Ireland speak up and rescue him?

He owns a business. Lots of people that immigrate to the US do so for the promise of unfettered capitalism and potential riches. I would trade this rat race for mandated vacation and sick leave, universal healthcare, and higher quality of life any day, but to each their own I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three things to note, or question:
One, This is the exact “crime” Melania committed - overstaying a tourist visa. She never left.
Two, why on earth is this couple living in the USA? They could be living in Ireland, which is far better than the USA under this administration.
Three, why doesn’t Ireland speak up and rescue him?

He owns a business. Lots of people that immigrate to the US do so for the promise of unfettered capitalism and potential riches. I would trade this rat race for mandated vacation and sick leave, universal healthcare, and higher quality of life any day, but to each their own I guess.

True, but people always want what they don't have, except for healthcare.. most people in other developed countries balk at our healthcare system.

[Anonymous]

For context, although no exact numbers exist, there have probably been thousands of visa overstays from Ireland in the Boston area over the decades. My DH is from Boston and the son of Irish immigrants and this is generally widely known in the Irish community. Doesn’t excuse it, but it is not uncommon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For context, although no exact numbers exist, there have probably been thousands of visa overstays from Ireland in the Boston area over the decades. My DH is from Boston and the son of Irish immigrants and this is generally widely known in the Irish community. Doesn’t excuse it, but it is not uncommon.

I stated something to this effect up thread. Throughout history, many many Europeans have overstayed their visas or stayed in the US illegally. Some of the MAGAs are probably related to these illegal immigrants but since they are white, no one cared.

Also, a lot of the Irish Bostonians are in the construction business, so yea, they took the jobs from real Americans, but MAGA never cared about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also read he overstayed a 90 day tourist visa"

Oooh a serious crime indeed.
We are blacking out pedophile co-conspirator names and putting Irish husbands in jail??!

Put him on a plane to Ireland and be done with it.

He was offered the option of being put on a plane and declined it. It’s probably not too late to change his mind.

There are rumors he has warrants back in Ireland.

It is telling that his lawyer states,

“He has strong familial and community ties. He has no criminal entry in his records since coming to the United States. He’s married to a US citizen.”

Did you catch the no criminal record since coming to the US? That implies he had a criminal background in Ireland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three things to note, or question:
One, This is the exact “crime” Melania committed - overstaying a tourist visa. She never left.
Two, why on earth is this couple living in the USA? They could be living in Ireland, which is far better than the USA under this administration.
Three, why doesn’t Ireland speak up and rescue him?

The Irish prime minister isn’t speaking up because he doesn’t support illegal immigration to his country. Ireland is cracking down on undocumented migrants. Here’s his quote regarding the case:

The Government cannot make any promises to the Irish man who has been held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since September, Taoiseach [Irish word for Prime Minister] Micheál Martin has said, telling the Dáil this afternoon that “all countries, bar none, have immigration laws.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three things to note, or question:
One, This is the exact “crime” Melania committed - overstaying a tourist visa. She never left.
Two, why on earth is this couple living in the USA? They could be living in Ireland, which is far better than the USA under this administration.
Three, why doesn’t Ireland speak up and rescue him?

He owns a business. Lots of people that immigrate to the US do so for the promise of unfettered capitalism and potential riches. I would trade this rat race for mandated vacation and sick leave, universal healthcare, and higher quality of life any day, but to each their own I guess.

correct he is doing his best to extract money out of america and not committing to it until necessary