“I spoke out about it now because he is all over the internet acting the victim and making people believe his lies,” Heather Morrissey (19), told the Irish Mirror
Sisters Melissa (L) and Heather (R) on the left side of the image, with dad Seamus Culleton on the right
An “abandoned” daughter of an Irishman detained by ICE in the US says she doesn’t believe his claim that he is living in a “concentration camp.”
Kilkenny native Seamus Culleton made headlines last week when he spoke out from a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, likening the “nightmare” conditions to those of a “modern day concentration camp.” A twist in the tale then emerged when it was revealed that Mr Culleton had left Ireland in 2008 – when he was still before the courts charged with drug-related offences.
Now one of his daughters, who earlier this week claimed that she and her twin sister had been “abandoned” by Culleton from an early age, has revealed why she spoke out and said she doesn’t believe his claims.
“I spoke out about it now because he is all over the internet acting the victim and making people believe his lies,” Heather Morrissey (19), told the Irish Mirror.
“I do not think it’s a concentration camp because if that was the case and he is so afraid for his life he would come back to Ireland.”
Since speaking out Heather says neither she nor her sister Melissa have had any contact from Culleton or his family – but she says reconciliation is possible. It comes as she has called on her father to return home and face the drug charges that he fled from in 2008.”I do want him to face those charges and hopefully he will come back and reconcile with his two daughters,” Heather told us.”He can reconcile with us if he comes back here to Ireland.”
Seamus Culleton with his wife Tiffany Smyth
Heather also told us that she wants to see her father deported back to Ireland. She said: “I would want my father to be deported back to Ireland. I don’t believe he deserves to live in the US.”
Heather’s comments come as a US lawyer has publicly posted on social media saying he would personally represent the two sisters and their mother in taking a lawsuit out. Marc J. Randazza, a lawyer based in Nevada, posted on X (formerly Twitter) – “If anyone can get in touch with his baby mama (the twin’s mother), I would be happy to on a pro bono basis file a lawsuit for her to seize these funds to pay her back child support.”
The lawyer was commenting on the basis of a GoFundMe, which has raised thousands in aid of Mr Culleton in recent days. However when asked if she and her sister have considered taking legal action, Heather, who was aware of M Randazza’s remarks, said: “I have not considered anything about a lawsuit or anything yet.”
Mr Culleton’s lawyer did not respond to the Irish Mirror. The latest remarks come as the twins first told Irish Daily Mail reporter Garreth MacNamee earlier this week that they felt they had been “abandoned” by Mr Culleton.
The two young women said their mother has not received “a penny” in child maintenance from Mr Culleton since. Heather told the publication: “I think he should come back here and he should get arrested.”
Her comments come as it emerged that Culleton had been facing a charge relating to possession with the intent of sale or supply of ecstasy pills and obstruction of a Garda, back in 2008. Culleton failed to appear at New Ross District Court for his hearing and a bench warrant was requested but was ultimately never issued as he had left the jurisdiction. He also appeared in the same court in April 2008 for allegedly being intoxicated in a public place.
Mr Culleton made headlines when he spoke on RTÉ’s Liveline programme last Monday and said he is currently experiencing “a nightmare”.
Melissa Morrissey (blonde) with sister Heather (right) – twin daughters of ICE detainee Seamus Culleton speak out. (Image: Heather Morrissey)
“I’d love for you guys to just try to get me out of here. Do all you can please. It’s absolute torture, psychological torture, physical torture,” he said.
“Everybody’s sick. There’s Covid in every pod. There’s influenza in every pod. It’s just a horrible, horrible, horrible place. It’s very hard to stay positive in a situation like this. We’re often without hygiene products. We’re often without shampoo and soap. The showers are filthy, the toilets are filthy. Infection, disease and sickness is right here. I just want to get back to my wife. We were so desperate to start a family.”
Mr Culleton said it’s been extremely hard for his family in Ireland, adding: “My mother, especially, is heartbroken that I’m in here. She’s just heartbroken over the whole situation. I don’t want her health to get any worse. She’s constantly worrying and stressing about me. It’s not fair on her.”
Mr Culleton’s wife Tiffany Smyth said she won’t stop fighting for his release. She told KCLR that her husband has no criminal record, not even an unpaid parking ticket.
She said: “It’s hard to sleep when all I do is worry about him. I can’t believe what’s going on in this country. It’s awful how they are treated there. He has literally been kidnapped. He got taken in Massachusetts, he was moved eight hours to Buffalo, New York, he was there a week, then in the middle of the night they woke him up, put him on a plane to El Paso, Texas.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the US Department of Homeland Security, said Mr Culleton received full due process and was issued a final deportation order from a federal judge. She said: ‘On September 9, 2025, ICE arrested Séamus Culleton, an illegal alien from Ireland. He entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver programme, which allows you to stay in the US for 90 days without a visa.
“He failed to depart the US. He received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025. He was offered the chance to instantly be removed to Ireland but chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention.”
Ms McLaughlin said Mr Culleton’s continued detention is “his choice”. She added: “Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to use the CBP [Customs and Border Protection ] Home app to take control of their departure.
“The US is offering illegal aliens $2,600 (€2,200) and a free flight to self deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the US the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
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