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Irish deportations from US surge over 50% in 2025 amid stricter enforcement
Deportations of Irish citizens from the United States have jumped by more than 50% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the previous year, newly released figures reveal. Between January and September, 99 Irish nationals were removed, up from 60 during the 2024 fiscal year, according to data obtained by BBC News NI from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Immigration attorneys attribute the rise to intensified enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration, with long-term residents-including those without criminal records-facing detention and removal for visa violations.
Long-term residents targeted in crackdown
Claire Doutre, an immigration lawyer at McEntee Law, warned that even individuals who entered the US legally decades ago are now at risk. "The biggest shift is seeing people without criminal histories, who've lived here for years, suddenly detained," she said. Many cases involve visa overstays, she added, emphasizing that "everybody is vulnerable right now."
Requests for consular assistance from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have also spiked. Between January and late September 2025, 51 Irish citizens sought help-more than triple the 15 requests in 2024 and far exceeding the 18 recorded in 2023. The DFA confirmed it provides logistical support, such as deportation details and legal referrals, but cannot intervene in US immigration proceedings.
Veteran's wife faces deportation over decade-old fraud convictions
Jim Brown, a 20-year US Navy veteran, called the crackdown "insane" as his Irish-born wife, Donna Hughes-Brown, faces deportation for two fraud convictions tied to bad checks written in 2012 and 2015-totaling $71. Hughes-Brown, who moved to the US as a child in the 1970s and held a green card since age 18, has been detained for 90 days in an ICE facility.
Brown, who served in the Gulf War, argued the penalties are disproportionate. "They keep talking about 'bad people'-Donna isn't one," he said. "She was trying to feed her family." He described detention conditions as "awful," citing unsanitary facilities, inadequate medical care, and poor food quality. "The toilet was backed up for a week with 25 women sharing it. It's inhumane," he told BBC News NI.
"She was trying to survive. It's not only wrong, but a waste of money to jail her for something so minor."
Jim Brown, US Navy veteran
ICE defends enforcement priorities
An ICE spokesperson stated that Hughes-Brown was detained in July upon re-entering the US due to her fraud convictions, which the agency classified as threats to "public safety and the rule of law." The spokesperson added that ICE detention facilities adhere to "among the highest standards" in the US, including dietician-approved meals and comprehensive medical care.
However, Doutre countered that conditions in some facilities are "deplorable," and bail for detainees has become "practically impossible." She advised Irish citizens in the US to prepare legal documentation proactively: "Once you're in detention, building a case is nearly impossible. Line up an attorney now."
Broader impact on Irish community
With over 100,000 Irish citizens estimated to live in the US, the surge in deportations has sparked concern. A senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official reiterated that lawful permanent residents with certain criminal convictions may face "mandatory detention" and removal proceedings upon re-entry.
Doutre predicted enforcement would continue to intensify, urging Irish nationals to ensure their immigration status is "airtight." "There's no room for error anymore," she said. "Every case is scrutinized."
