Conor McGregor visits WH, talks about Ireland’s ‘illegal immigration racket’

• Conor McGregor is set to meet with President Donald Trump after a St. Patrick’s Day appearance at the White House. He praised Trump’s work ethic and criticized the Irish government’s handling of immigration issues, calling it a “travesty.”
• The surge in asylum seekers in Ireland increased nearly 300% in 2024, compared to five years ago.
• McGregor, who denied sexual assault allegations from 2018, is reportedly considering running for Ireland’s presidency in late 2025 on an anti-immigration platform.

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Irish mixed martial artist and former UFC champion Conor McGregor is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump Monday, March 17, following a St. Patrick’s Day appearance in the White House briefing room with press secretary Caroline Leavitt.

McGregor praised Trump while focusing on the issue of immigrants entering Ireland illegally.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE! 🍀🇺🇸 @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/YQPQDttUXB

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

“What is going on in Ireland is a travesty,” McGregor said. “Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.”

He added, “The illegal immigration racket is running ravage [sic] on the country.”

🍀 @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/5GEKWLR8qg

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

What is McGregor’s reputation like in Ireland?

McGregor is considered a controversial figure in Ireland.

In November 2024 he was found liable for a 2018 sexual assault and was ordered to pay around $260,000 in damages.

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McGregor denied the allegations while setting his sights on running for Ireland’s presidency later in 2025 on an anti-immigration platform.

Is immigration a big issue in Ireland?

According to numbers from the European Union Agency for Asylum, asylum applications in Ireland increased by nearly 300% in 2024 compared to the same period five years ago.

A spike in arrivals from the U.K. has been driven mostly by the U.K.’s tougher immigration stance after Brexit. Drivers also include the fear of deportation to Rwanda and Ireland’s relatively healthy economy.

Most asylum seekers moving from the U.K. to Ireland enter the country from Northern Ireland, part of the U.K., where there is no passport control like there would be on airport or ferry routes.

McGregor added, while speaking at the White House, that he wants to learn from Trump, calling his work ethic “inspiring.”

During Trump’s campaign for president, the then-candidate promised mass deportations.

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In the first 50 days of the second Trump administration, Immigration Customs and Enforcement said it has made nearly 33,000 arrests, with nearly half allegedly being convicted criminals.

In the entire Fiscal Year 2024, ICE made just above 33,000 arrests.