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The article says he refused to sign the deportation paperwork, does that not mean that his continued detention is a choice under his control? He could agree to

The article says he refused to sign the deportation paperwork, does that not mean that his continued detention is a choice under his control? He could agree to return to Ireland and they would put him on a plane.

VBprogrammer 8mo ago
Before we even get into the complete lack of morality in forcefully separating a married couple, removing him from his home and his business; you might want to check what happens to people who do agree to be deported. Plenty of examples where this has not at all been as painless as you are implying.
- rayiner 8mo ago
  So getting married should be a loophole in the immigration law?
Terr_ 8mo ago
Compare: "The man refused to sign confession-papers, so that means his continued imprisonment is actually a choice under his control. He could simply confess to jaywalking, and they'd rip him away from his family and life and exile him to the streets of another country within a mere day or two. No problem." Abject surrender in the face of threats/violence is always, technically, a fast resolution to anything, but it's not the kind of thing we (or the framers of the Constitution) wanted to optimize for.
- rayiner 8mo ago
  He's already confessed! He admits he came here under the Visa Waiver Program, overstayed the 90 day limit, and that, as a result, he can be removed without proceedings for a determination of deportability: https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton-ruling.pdf https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton... "Thus, individuals that entered the country under VWP are removable 'without referral of the alien to an immigration judge for a determination of deportability.' See 8 C.F.R. § 217.4(b)(1). Culleton concedes he is removable under the VWP. Reply 10."
- rootusrootus 8mo ago
  Well, yes, basically this entire situation is one he created himself starting back in 2009. I would love to see a vast increase in legal immigration, and this guy isn't it.
nyeah 8mo ago
If he were here illegally, they wouldn't need him to agree to be deported.
- rootusrootus 8mo ago
  That does not make any sense. They just offered him the chance to waive the court process and go back to Ireland immediately. It does not mean that he must be here legally. It just means that a court will have to make that determination before any further steps can be taken.
  - nyeah 8mo ago
    If he had been found to be here illegally, they would not need him to voluntarily consent to being deported. I hope that's obvious.
    - rayiner 8mo ago
      I know it sounds crazy, but they do need his consent to being deported. Coming to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program means you waive any rights you have to claim asylum, etc. This guy admits he came here under Visa waiver, and that he overstayed his visa by years. But they still can’t deport him, because he’s raising new legal arguments based on being married to a US citizen.
      - deleted 8mo ago
        [deleted]
      - nyeah 8mo ago
        Your version of events is not supported by the article. I think what you're calling "crazy" is due process itself.
        rayiner 8mo ago
        The article is describing facts that are the subject of public court proceedings in which the man has made admissions about the facts of what happened: https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton-ruling.pdf https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton...
drecked 8mo ago
So apparently you get one chance to sign documents while you are being forcibly detained with no access to legal representation. Lol. Yeah, that sounds like a great way to run a country.
zzrrt 8mo ago
Yes, he should definitely choose to ditch his US citizen wife and move to a place she probably can’t reside or work legally. /s If the government kept you in a tent camp and said you could just sign some papers and be free to leave without your family, would you?
- rootusrootus 8mo ago
  > move to a place she probably can’t reside legally Are you suggesting that Ireland is even more strict on immigration than the US is?
  - zzrrt 8mo ago
    After some research, it might be fairly simple for them to get into Ireland and fairly simple for her to get permission to stay as a spouse of an Irish citizen. Her getting a work permit may be a lot harder, so it may not be viable for them to survive there, especially if he's going in jobless too.
goatlover 8mo ago
He probably wants to remain with his wife and home, just like Abrego Garcia did, who currently has been returned to his Maryland home and family, despite what the DOJ said would never happen.
brendoelfrendo 8mo ago
There's a follow-up story from The Guardian that seems to have details relevant to this line of questioning: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-seamus-culleton-ice-detention https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-se... First of all, back in November, a judge approved his release on bond, which he paid, but the government ignored that order and continued to detain him. After his detention, he was asked to sign paperwork opting for voluntary deportation; he refused, but then the government proceeded to claim in court that he had signed documents to that effect, which he and his lawyer insist must be falsified or otherwise in error. However a judge allowed them to stand, which removes his ability to appeal. Now, either because the government is inept or malicious, he seems to be stuck in a legal limbo unless his lawyer can challenge the government's documentation or force an analysis of those forms.
bakies 8mo ago
He was also granted bail, but was kept in detention. Was that his choice?

VBprogrammer 8mo ago

Before we even get into the complete lack of morality in forcefully separating a married couple, removing him from his home and his business; you might want to check what happens to people who do agree to be deported. Plenty of examples where this has not at all been as painless as you are implying.

rayiner 8mo ago
So getting married should be a loophole in the immigration law?

Terr_ 8mo ago

Compare: "The man refused to sign confession-papers, so that means his continued imprisonment is actually a choice under his control. He could simply confess to jaywalking, and they'd rip him away from his family and life and exile him to the streets of another country within a mere day or two. No problem." Abject surrender in the face of threats/violence is always, technically, a fast resolution to anything, but it's not the kind of thing we (or the framers of the Constitution) wanted to optimize for.

rayiner 8mo ago
He's already confessed! He admits he came here under the Visa Waiver Program, overstayed the 90 day limit, and that, as a result, he can be removed without proceedings for a determination of deportability: https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton-ruling.pdf https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton... "Thus, individuals that entered the country under VWP are removable 'without referral of the alien to an immigration judge for a determination of deportability.' See 8 C.F.R. § 217.4(b)(1). Culleton concedes he is removable under the VWP. Reply 10."
rootusrootus 8mo ago
Well, yes, basically this entire situation is one he created himself starting back in 2009. I would love to see a vast increase in legal immigration, and this guy isn't it.

nyeah 8mo ago

If he were here illegally, they wouldn't need him to agree to be deported.

rootusrootus 8mo ago
That does not make any sense. They just offered him the chance to waive the court process and go back to Ireland immediately. It does not mean that he must be here legally. It just means that a court will have to make that determination before any further steps can be taken.
- nyeah 8mo ago
  If he had been found to be here illegally, they would not need him to voluntarily consent to being deported. I hope that's obvious.
  - rayiner 8mo ago
    I know it sounds crazy, but they do need his consent to being deported. Coming to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program means you waive any rights you have to claim asylum, etc. This guy admits he came here under Visa waiver, and that he overstayed his visa by years. But they still can’t deport him, because he’s raising new legal arguments based on being married to a US citizen.
    - deleted 8mo ago
      [deleted]
    - nyeah 8mo ago
      Your version of events is not supported by the article. I think what you're calling "crazy" is due process itself.
      - rayiner 8mo ago
        The article is describing facts that are the subject of public court proceedings in which the man has made admissions about the facts of what happened: https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton-ruling.pdf https://www.universalhub.com/files/attachments/2026/culleton...

drecked 8mo ago

So apparently you get one chance to sign documents while you are being forcibly detained with no access to legal representation. Lol. Yeah, that sounds like a great way to run a country.

zzrrt 8mo ago

Yes, he should definitely choose to ditch his US citizen wife and move to a place she probably can’t reside or work legally. /s If the government kept you in a tent camp and said you could just sign some papers and be free to leave without your family, would you?

rootusrootus 8mo ago
> move to a place she probably can’t reside legally Are you suggesting that Ireland is even more strict on immigration than the US is?
- zzrrt 8mo ago
  After some research, it might be fairly simple for them to get into Ireland and fairly simple for her to get permission to stay as a spouse of an Irish citizen. Her getting a work permit may be a lot harder, so it may not be viable for them to survive there, especially if he's going in jobless too.

goatlover 8mo ago

He probably wants to remain with his wife and home, just like Abrego Garcia did, who currently has been returned to his Maryland home and family, despite what the DOJ said would never happen.

brendoelfrendo 8mo ago

There's a follow-up story from The Guardian that seems to have details relevant to this line of questioning: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-seamus-culleton-ice-detention https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/irish-man-se... First of all, back in November, a judge approved his release on bond, which he paid, but the government ignored that order and continued to detain him. After his detention, he was asked to sign paperwork opting for voluntary deportation; he refused, but then the government proceeded to claim in court that he had signed documents to that effect, which he and his lawyer insist must be falsified or otherwise in error. However a judge allowed them to stand, which removes his ability to appeal. Now, either because the government is inept or malicious, he seems to be stuck in a legal limbo unless his lawyer can challenge the government's documentation or force an analysis of those forms.

bakies 8mo ago

He was also granted bail, but was kept in detention. Was that his choice?