At least 60 Irish people faced deportation procedures in the United States last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs has revealed.
Figures released by the department show there was a fourfold increase in the number of people seeking its assistance in relation to deportation from the US.
In a statement, the department said the number of Irish citizens who had requested assistance in relation to deportation from the US increased from 15 in 2024 to 60 last year.
“These numbers include 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 said in response to questions submitted by The Irish Times.
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“It is important to note that this figure only relates to cases where a citizen or their family has requested consular assistance and does not necessarily reflect all deportations to Ireland or where a citizen is currently being detained by Ice.”
The department said overall globally, it had provided support in 37 deportation cases in 2024 and 96 cases in 2025.
“Where a citizen does request consular assistance as a result of an impending deportation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can assist with providing information on the deportation arrangements, contacting family/friends at the request of the citizen and providing a list of English-speaking lawyers,” it said.
Last week it emerged that Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee had been told by officials on her appointment in November that the number of deportations involving Irish citizens was up by 272 per cent compared with 2024.
Department officials told the Minister in the documents, which were published last Monday, that as of November, “deportations from the USA account for 60 per cent of all deportations cases recorded thus far in 2025″.
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The Minster’s briefing documents did not set out total numbers of Irish people deported from countries overseas. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs subsequently provided details of the numbers who had contacted it for assistance following questions from The Irish Times.
The briefing material for the Minister also maintained that consular officials working with Irish nationals who experienced difficulties abroad had “in terms of emerging trends . . . noted a marked uptick in cases involving mental health”.
“These can present in a number of ways – for example, as missing people, arrests or welfare cases.”
