U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing waves of criticism for its cryptic St. Patrick’s Day post. Taking to X, the organization posted a greeting on the occasion. The post read, “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from ICE!” featuring a photo of armed federal agents in uniform whose faces were blurred. Green gas is visible in the background, perfectly in theme with the Irish holiday.
The post soon grabbed the attention of social media users for what critics called hypocrisy. Netizens pointed out the irony of posting a greeting on an Irish holiday when anti-immigration ideology is rooted in ICE’s gut. According to Tyla, an estimated six million Irish people have emigrated to the US since 1820.
In fact, one in six Americans has Irish ancestry. According to the National Museum of Ireland: “Of all the emigrants to the US between 1851 and 1860, it is estimated that 81 percent (990,000) were Irish. Today, one-sixth of U.S. citizens (43 million) identify their national background as Irish.”
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from ICE! pic.twitter.com/OGNrYmjeqx
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) March 17, 2026
“The peak of Irish emigration resulted from the Great Famine of 1845–1852. It has been estimated that nearly two million people—about a quarter of the population—emigrated to the United States in a ten-year period at that time.”
The X post gained traction among users who struggled to understand ICE’s messaging or the agency’s stance. One user pointed out that suggesting ICE was aware of criticism, and that is why it doesn’t dare show its agents’ faces. They wrote, “When you have to blur their faces, you have a clear sign of who the bad guys are.”
Climate scientist and geographer Rebekah Jones commented on what she described as the contradiction of celebrating an Irish holiday while simultaneously abhorring immigrants. “The irony of anti-immigrant stormtroopers ‘celebrating’ an Irish holiday… lol. The best part is they won’t get why everyone is laughing at them because none of them passed high school American history.”
Seamus Culleton is an Irish national being held by ICE in Texas for nearly 6 months. He’s lived in the U.S. for 20 years, is married to a U.S. citizen, has no criminal record, and was detained despite holding a valid work permit according to CBS News. pic.twitter.com/z6xB3srOuZ https://t.co/3o64GtemZ5
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) March 17, 2026
When another X user tried to correct her, saying ICE is not against immigrants but only detests illegal immigrants, Rebekah said, “There was no such thing as ‘illegal immigration’ in the USA during the genocide in Ireland. The first major immigration law was an attack on Chinese immigrants in 1892, decades after the genocide.”
A third user brought attention to Seamus Culleton, an Irishman who had been living in the U.S. for more than 16 years and was married to a U.S. citizen, who was detained by ICE. “Seamus Culleton is an Irish national being held by ICE in Texas for nearly 6 months. He’s lived in the U.S. for 20 years, is married to a U.S. citizen, has no criminal record, and was detained despite holding a valid work permit, according to CBS News.”
