FOUR undocumented Irishmen living in Boston were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday, January 29 after being stopped at a routine traffic inspection north of Boston on their way home from a skiing trip. The four men, believed to be from counties Kerry and Louth, are still being held, although it is unclear at presstime of their location. They face up to eight weeks behind bars until they will be deported back to Ireland. The Irish Pastoral Center in Boston is in contact with the men, as well as the Irish Consulate. Speaking to the Irish Voice on Tuesday from his office in Boston, Kieran O'Sullivan from the center said he has seen a surge in numbers of young undocumented being stopped in the past couple of years. Describing it as a "terrible situation," O'Sullivan said, "We are seeing a record number of detentions since 9/11 so it's important that immigrants who are traveling anywhere within states that bring them within 100 miles of a border to be aware that they are subject to inspections."Advising those people who are in the country legally, O'Sullivan said, "If you are here legally like on a visa or a J-1 bring evidence of your status with you at all times."Speaking on the duration of the detentions of undocumented before they are deported back to Ireland, O'Sullivan said it was outrageous. "I feel it's a terrible situation that young individuals who are here working who haven't committed any criminal offenses and came here legally but overstayed their visas should end up in a county jail for up to eight weeks, and in a jail where they are mixed in with the general population, many of whom are there for much more serious offenses," he said