Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
249. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on her Department’s collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security in the United States regarding Irish citizens who have uncertain immigration status and may be at risk of detention by ICE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12496/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra279. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she, or her Department, or the Irish embassy network in the United States has sought from the State Department or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency of the United States a list of all Irish citizens either in detention, or those listed for deportation from the United States; the proactive measures being taken to support those Irish citizens; if support is only provided when an individual seeks consular assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12506/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra282. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her plans to ensure that information is shared with her Department by US authorities on the number of Irish citizens currently detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency; the steps she is taking to achieve this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12509/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 249, 279 and 282 together.
Providing effective and accessible consular assistance to Irish citizens is a priority for me and for my Department, as is advocacy for undocumented Irish citizens in the United States.
My Department provides consular assistance to Irish citizens in difficulty abroad within the remit of our Consular Assistance Charter. The Charter sets out in a clear and accessible manner the type of assistance citizens can expect to receive should they require assistance. The provision of consular assistance is a cornerstone of the work of my Department. I place a strong emphasis on ensuring that citizens receive empathetic, timely and appropriate assistance at all times.
The assistance my Department can provide in cases of detention by ICE or in the case of deportation, like with any other case, will depend on the individual circumstances of that case. Assistance can include, for example, facilitating communication between the citizen and their family, engaging with the relevant local authorities, providing a list of lawyers, or sharing information on the deportation process with family members. This is not an exhaustive list and each case is considered on a case-by-case basis.
I would also note that through our diplomatic network across the US, my Department also works closely with a number of partner organisations and immigration centres supporting Irish immigrants in the US in providing reliable, trust-worthy information and advice. These organisations are supported under the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme.
Further, in order to provide consular assistance when requested, my officials in our US mission network regularly engage with a variety of US stakeholders at local and national level, including with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
The provision of consular assistance is at the request of the citizen or, where the citizen cannot request such assistance, by a family member or friend. As such, there are many instances where a citizen gets into difficulty abroad and does not request consular assistance. In these cases, my Department may not necessarily be aware of their detention or impending deportation.
For data relating to the activities of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the US Department of Homeland Security maintains a publicly available website.
I can confirm that the number of citizens who have requested assistance in relation to deportation from the United States of America in 2025 was 65. To date in 2026, the number of people who have requested assistance is 1. This includes both those who have already been deported and those who are still going through the deportation process, which may include being held in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It is important to note that this figure only relates to cases where a citizen or their family has requested assistance and does not necessarily reflect all deportations to Ireland or where a citizen is currently being detained by ICE.
I want to reassure the Deputy that my officials stand ready to provide all possible consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad.
