Donna Hughes-Brown, a 58-year-old Irish citizen and long-time US green-card holder, is back with her family in Missouri after spending nearly five months in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The Irish Times reports that Hughes-Brown was arrested at Chicago O’Hare on 29 July when returning from a funeral in Ireland. Despite holding valid permanent-resident status, her record showed an unresolved technical violation from the 1990s; she was transferred to a county jail in Kentucky pending removal proceedings.
Her ordeal ended late last week when a federal immigration judge terminated the case, citing procedural errors. Speaking to reporters on 22 December, Hughes-Brown described conditions in detention as “not ideal” and said she would postpone future visits to Ireland until she secures US citizenship. Her husband Jim Brown thanked Irish consular staff and Irish-American advocacy groups who intervened.
The case has sparked debate in Dublin about the vulnerability of Irish green-card holders in the United States—an estimated 130,000 people. Immigration lawyers note that heightened US border scrutiny means minor paperwork lapses (for example, outdated fingerprints or unpaid fees) can trigger detention, even for long-term residents. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs says it is updating travel-advice pages to remind citizens with US residency to carry proof of continuous presence and tax compliance when travelling.
![Irish grandmother freed after five-month ICE detention highlights risks for frequent transatlantic travellers]()
Before booking a trans-Atlantic flight, Irish residents can turn to VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) for an online document check-up and application service. The company’s specialists guide travelers through U.S. visa renewals, re-entry permits, and other travel authorizations, helping spot the sort of overlooked fingerprint updates or fee receipts that landed Hughes-Brown in ICE custody.
For multinational employers, especially in tech and pharmaceuticals, the incident is a cautionary tale. Irish assignees on L-1 or H-1B visas—and even permanent residents—should undergo a pre-travel compliance check. Companies are urged to maintain copies of their employees’ I-94 travel records and to offer legal briefings before overseas trips. The episode also underscores the value of registering with Ireland’s Citizens’ Registration portal so consular officers can act swiftly in emergencies.
Advocates are calling on Washington to pass the long-stalled Irish E-3 visa bill, which would grant thousands of unused Australian E-3 slots to Irish nationals each year. They argue the measure would reduce reliance on the green-card lottery and give Irish professionals a clearer pathway to work in the United States without risking detention over clerical errors.
Her ordeal ended late last week when a federal immigration judge terminated the case, citing procedural errors. Speaking to reporters on 22 December, Hughes-Brown described conditions in detention as “not ideal” and said she would postpone future visits to Ireland until she secures US citizenship. Her husband Jim Brown thanked Irish consular staff and Irish-American advocacy groups who intervened.
The case has sparked debate in Dublin about the vulnerability of Irish green-card holders in the United States—an estimated 130,000 people. Immigration lawyers note that heightened US border scrutiny means minor paperwork lapses (for example, outdated fingerprints or unpaid fees) can trigger detention, even for long-term residents. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs says it is updating travel-advice pages to remind citizens with US residency to carry proof of continuous presence and tax compliance when travelling.
Before booking a trans-Atlantic flight, Irish residents can turn to VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) for an online document check-up and application service. The company’s specialists guide travelers through U.S. visa renewals, re-entry permits, and other travel authorizations, helping spot the sort of overlooked fingerprint updates or fee receipts that landed Hughes-Brown in ICE custody.
For multinational employers, especially in tech and pharmaceuticals, the incident is a cautionary tale. Irish assignees on L-1 or H-1B visas—and even permanent residents—should undergo a pre-travel compliance check. Companies are urged to maintain copies of their employees’ I-94 travel records and to offer legal briefings before overseas trips. The episode also underscores the value of registering with Ireland’s Citizens’ Registration portal so consular officers can act swiftly in emergencies.
Advocates are calling on Washington to pass the long-stalled Irish E-3 visa bill, which would grant thousands of unused Australian E-3 slots to Irish nationals each year. They argue the measure would reduce reliance on the green-card lottery and give Irish professionals a clearer pathway to work in the United States without risking detention over clerical errors.
