Irish ICE detainee expected to be deported TODAY as lawyer offers to fight for "abandoned" daughters

Mr Culleton, who made worldwide headlines after he claimed he was being held in "concentration camp" conditions in El Paso, is due back on Irish soil for the first time in nearly 17 years this morning.

Last week we revealed that Mr Culleton had three drug charges pending before he left Ireland. Our sister publication, The Irish Mail on Sunday, then exposed how he left behind twin toddler girls in Kilkenny before moving to the US.

Now, a US attorney is offering his services to seize $28,000 (€23,600) raised for Mr Culleton’s legal fees and give it to his children in lieu of 18 years’ worth of child maintenance.

It has also been confirmed that the drug charges in Ireland against Mr Culleton, 38, are still "active" and that it will be at the discretion of gardaí [Irish police] if he is to appear in court.

Speaking to Extra.ie, a US attorney has said he is offering Mr Culleton’s twin daughters, Heather and Melissa Morrissey, 18, his legal services for free to try to seize the $28,000 raised by the GoFundMe.

Heather and Melissa Morrissey.

Lawyer Marc Randazza, based in Las Vegas, said he believes the twins are due the money and that he has had success in previous cases. "If that money is still in GoFundMe’s accounts, then it can be reached," he said.

Mr Randazza said people’s claims that "you’d have to sue in Ireland" are "definitely not the case".

He said he had a "very similar" case that had a positive impact for the children concerned, adding: "I just wanted to offer my services as I know I can help. Who does that to young children like that? I just want to help young women out."

The US is offering "illegal aliens" $2,600 (€2,200) and a free flight to self-deport. However, Mr Culleton may not have been given this money as he tried to battle the US authorities in court in a bid to remain in Boston with his wife Tiffany Smith.

Seamus Culleton and his wife, Tiffany Smith.

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 in Co. Wexford for his hearing and a bench warrant was requested.

However, the warrant was never acted on he had left the jurisdiction. He also appeared in the same court in April 2008 for being "extremely drunk" in public. Court reports from the time noted how gardaí detained him for his own safety.

Security sources told Extra.ie that there is a "strong chance" Mr Culleton could face his charges.

A source explained: "It will be up to gardaí whether or not they go ahead and get themselves to a local District Court and ask the judge to issue a bench warrant in the case of Mr Culleton.

"We are talking about 18 years ago, but going by the publicity of this case, I reckon there is a good-to-strong chance he’ll be up in court, even if it’s to be disposed of. There’s no such thing as a charge expiring, put it that way. The DPP has already decided that he should face the courts. It’s now in the hands of the gardaí."

Tiffany Smith and Seamus Culleton.

Mr Culleton’s twin daughters – who have said they want him back in Ireland to face the courts – were warned they would never see him again if they spoke about him. The warning was sent by someone known to their father after one of the twins commented under the GoFundMe page which was set up to raise money for his legal team.

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 couple’s dogs.

Responding to the appeal, Heather Morrissey said that Mr Culleton should worry about the real children he has – and not about the dogs.

It was then that someone known to Mr Culleton contacted Heather directly. She was told that Séamus was "upset" and that the situation 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".

There is no suggestion this person was Mr Culleton’s wife.

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?"

Mr Culleton called RTÉ’s Liveline show on Monday last week from the ICE facility in El Paso, Texas, and likened his place of detention to a "modern-day concentration camp". He has been held for five months since he was lifted on his way from work in September – he runs a plastering business in Boston.

The Irishman pleaded with the Government here to help him get out of the detention and said the conditions amounted to "torture".

He said: "I’d love for you guys to just try to get me out here. Do all you can, please. It’s absolute torture, psychological torture, physical torture. I just want to get back to my wife. We were so desperate to start a family."

Additional reporting by Craig Hughes.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.