We were told not to speak out about our father, say daughters of Irishman held by ICE

Extra.ie revealed last week how Mr Culleton was facing drugs charges in Ireland, while our sister paper The Irish Mail on Sunday yesterday uncovered that he had two daughters he had ‘abandoned’.

However, twins Heather and Melissa Morrissey were urged to keep secret the fact he left them in Ireland as toddlers.

The warning to the twins – who turn 19 this week – was sent by someone known to Mr Culleton after one of the girls commented on a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for his legal defence.

The appeal highlighted Mr Culleton’s detention in the ICE facility and said his wife wanted him home ‘to see his babies’, referring to the dogs the couple own.

Responding to the appeal, Heather said Mr Culleton should worry about the real children he has and not about the dogs. It was then that someone known to Mr Culleton, 38, contacted Heather directly. There is no suggestion this was his wife Tiffany.

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Seamus Culleton and his wife, Tiffany.

Heather was told Séamus was "upset" and that the matter could "affect his Green Card application". The person said Mr Culleton’s case was at a "critical stage" and that "comments like that are only going to make it worse for him".

Heather responded that she found the whole thing "insulting", leading to the person known to Mr Culleton responding: "Well then, good luck seeing Séamus because they will keep him in. Is that what you want?" Heather and Melissa claim their father is "not the man people think he is" and said his claim he has done "no wrong" is false.

The two young women said their mother has not received "a penny" in child maintenance from Mr Culleton since he "abandoned" them. Heather said: "I think he should come back here and he should get arrested."

The twins said their father was naive for going public with his case, knowing he had outstanding drugs charges against him in Ireland. We revealed last week that Mr Culleton was charged with several offences in 2008. These included possessing drugs with intent for sale or supply, possession of drugs for personal consumption and obstructing a garda in the course of their duty.

Mr Culleton failed to appear at New Ross District Court for his hearing and a bench warrant was requested. However, the warrant was never issued as he had left the jurisdiction.

He also appeared in the same court in April 2008 for allegedly being ‘extremely drunk’ in public. Court reports from the time noted gardaí detained him for his own safety.

Mr Culleton called RTÉ’s Liveline programme last Monday to share how he claimed he was being treated at a facility in El Paso, Texas, and likened his place of detention to a "modern-day concentration camp".

Heather added: "I was shocked. I am sorry now but I just think it’s so funny how he can ring the news and Tiffany [Mr Culleton’s wife] and his sister, but couldn’t ring me or my sister. He rang me the first day he got locked up because I asked his sister to ask him to ring me.

"I had to ask him to ring me. He told me that he got detained by ICE… he doesn’t know when he’s going to get out. That was about it. I haven’t heard from him since then."

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Seamus Culleton.

Heather said she texted her father’s sister to let him know that Melissa was pregnant, but still there was no contact, adding: "My sister hasn’t heard from him." She continued: "I feel that we were born and he just up and left. He did abandon us. That’s what he did."

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."

Mr Culleton’s lawyer in the US has been contacted for comment.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.