Boston, MA – Irish National to Be Deported Amid Intensified Immigration Crackdown
A Donegal man, who has been awaiting a decision on his green card application for three years, is scheduled to be deported from the United States next week.
The 40-year-old father of two American-born children, aged nine and ten, and the owner of a small construction company near Boston, was recently arrested following a driving-related conviction and taken to a detention center operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His deportation is set to occur via Newark International Airport in New Jersey.
Legal Struggles and Immigration Status
According to his Boston-based immigration attorney, John Foley, the man has lived in the U.S. for over 15 years after overstaying a travel visa. While his legal residency petition remains under review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), ICE has proceeded with deportation measures.
Foley stated that he petitioned for his client’s release under 24/7 monitoring with an ankle bracelet, but his request was denied outright.
“They just said no,” Foley explained, adding that immigration officials showed no hesitation in rejecting his appeal.
Escalation of Immigration Enforcement
Foley noted that ICE officers have become significantly less flexible in recent years, comparing current enforcement practices to previous administrations.
“There’s a whole new mentality among law enforcement and immigration officers under Trump 2.0,” Foley said.
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement, conducting widespread arrests at immigration courts across the country. So far, over 70,000 people have been detained and deported since the administration took office this year.
Impact on Irish Immigrants & Family Separations
The increase in deportations has raised concerns among Irish nationals and advocacy groups, who fear that families will be separated due to stringent immigration measures.
Foley explained that his client will not only be separated from his children, but will also be forced to shut down his business, lay off employees, and sell his construction equipment.
The man has now accepted his deportation fate, knowing that he will be barred from re-entering the U.S. for ten years, his attorney said.
“I’m trying to avoid ICE sending him on a long, slow drive to Newark International Airport by showing his valid Irish passport and offering to pay for a flight out of Boston, but I haven’t heard back from officials,” Foley added.
Growing Fear Among Immigrant Communities
Foley reported that fear of deportation is spreading among both Irish immigrants and other diasporas living in the U.S.
“It’s not just the Irish—it’s everybody,” Foley said. “I’m getting calls from people I represented 20 years ago who really have nothing to worry about, but because they have prior criminal convictions, they’re stressed.”
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs stated that it “stands ready to provide consular assistance” to the Donegal man upon his deportation next week.
Conclusion
As immigration enforcement intensifies under the current U.S. administration, deportations—including cases involving long-time residents awaiting legal status approval—continue to cause concern among immigrant communities, legal advocates, and foreign governments and all stakeholders are hoping the situation would be reversed and more leniency offered to individuals caught in this policy and political crossfire.
