An Irishman who has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for five months has received a stay on his deportation until next month. Mr Culleton was driving home after finishing work in Massachusetts when he was detained by ICE agents on September 9 last year. He said he had a work permit but was arrested and taken to an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas. Mr Culleton’s lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, said the US government has historically given exemptions and forgiven certain immigration violations – such as working without authorisation or overstaying – to immediate relatives of US citizens. “We are committed to advocating for Culleton’s right to remain in the United States based on legal merits of his case.

Source: Irish Examiner February 17, 2026 15:11 UTC