'They said my documents weren’t real': Irish man claims ICE agents stopped him at gunpoint

Jonathan Cunniffe and his wife LaShae, who want to return to Ireland.

An Irish man living legally in the US claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents stopped him at gunpoint before detaining and assaulting him. 

Jonathan Cunniffe, from Roscommon and living in Minnesota, said he has been "fully legal" since moving to the US three-and-a-half years ago. He has all the required paperwork including a green card, work visa, and social security card.

On the morning of February 19, he said he was driving to his workplace in Cambridge, Minnesota, about 45 minutes from his rural home where he lives with his wife LaShae.

When he stopped at a filling station, he claims plain-clothes ICE agents overheard his Irish accent when he went to pay and followed him in an unmarked SUV.

“They followed me for about 25 minutes and took every turn that I took and were right behind me,” he said.

A second SUV, clearly marked as an ICE vehicle, pulled out in front of his car, said Mr Cunniffe. Men jumped from both vehicles — including ICE agents in combat gear — and pointed guns in his face.

“They took my documents, which are all legitimate, and looked them over. And they were saying ‘Oh, they aren’t real, they aren’t real’."

He said he doesn’t have a speeding ticket, let alone a criminal record.

He claims he was dragged from his car, assaulted,  bundled into the back of the ICE vehicle, and taken to a building in Minneapolis where he remained handcuffed in a room for six hours.

He said he was assaulted again and subjected to physical aggression and intimidation, despite repeatedly telling ICE agents he was in the US legally.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it out of that room, if I’m being honest with you,” he said.

“They were questioning me about when I came over here. They were bringing up images of me and my wife’s social media. I was completely terrified,” he said.

Mr Cunniffe said he believes he was eventually released from detention after constantly repeating the assertion that his wife had contacted the Irish embassy. 

"They had no reason to take him. No warrant. No legal reason to hold him," said his wife.

He lost his job the next day for missing work despite explaining to his company what had happened. “We think that they’re just scared of the ICE situation,” he said.

Jonathan and LaShae want to leave the US as soon as possible following his ordeal with ICE agents.

Mr Cunniffe told the Roscommon Herald he and his wife have been “scared out of our minds” and are afraid to leave the house, fearful that they are being watched.

“I barely sleep anymore. My wife has a panic attack every single time I have to step foot out of our door.” 

He has been in touch with the Irish Consulate in Chicago but is still waiting to receive correspondence.

The couple now want to leave the US as soon as possible and return to Ireland. 

They have set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of gathering enough funds to cover the flights costs.