US Detains & Deports Over 100 Filipino Cruise Workers, Bans Reentry For 10 Years

Over 100 Filipino crew members working on cruise ships have been detained and deported from the United States since April 2025. According to the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and immigrant rights groups, the workers were removed without being formally charged with any crime. They have also been banned from returning to the US for the next ten years.

The announcement was made during a press conference held on Sunday at the Moonlight Port in Norfolk, Virginia, where the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship was docked.

PWC Executive Director Aquilina Versoza said 21 Filipino crew members from the Carnival Sunshine were taken by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) between April 13 and July 12, 2025. She said they were deported to the Philippines and banned from reentry for ten years, even though they held valid 10-year visas. The detentions happened during CBP raids.

Versoza added that another 80 Filipino crew members from Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Vista, both based in Port Canaveral, Florida, were deported between April and May this year. All three cruise ships are operated by Carnival Cruise Line.

She claimed the 21 workers from Carnival Sunshine were falsely accused of possessing child pornography but were not charged or found guilty. According to her, there was no evidence to support the accusations. She pointed out that most crew members were only in port briefly, often for less than a day, just to do their jobs.

Two of the deported workers shared written statements during the press conference. Earlson Jasmer Gamboa, a 29-year-old galley attendant on Carnival Sunshine, said he was deported on June 28 without a lawyer and without being charged. He said his only goal was to work and support his family, and he was innocent of the claims made by CBP in Virginia.

Another crew member, Marcelo Morales Jr., said the false accusations caused him extreme stress and harmed his reputation. He said no evidence was presented against him and he had already been cleared before his visa was suddenly revoked. He said he remains committed to following the rules of every port and upholding honesty and professionalism.

More than 40 community members joined the press conference to support the Filipino workers and called on both the US and Philippine governments to investigate CBP’s actions and the role of cruise companies in the deportations. They also demanded the protection of Filipino seafarers’ rights.

Monica Sarmiento, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said due process is a core value of the United States, and actions taken without evidence create distrust in government institutions.

Versoza said PWC plans to launch a nationwide campaign demanding accountability from Carnival Cruise Line and an end to the unjust treatment of cruise ship crew members. She said the group is also helping affected seafarers connect with legal support and informing them of their rights as immigrants.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., responded to the rising number of detentions involving child pornography accusations. It issued an advisory on July 19 reminding Filipinos in the US and aboard ships that under American laws, viewing, transporting, or distributing child sexual abuse materials is a serious crime that can lead to prosecution, punishment, and deportation.

The Embassy emphasised that child pornography is one of the worst forms of child exploitation, and even viewing such content contributes to this abuse. It also noted that Filipinos who feel they have been wrongly accused have the right to seek legal help.

In response, the Department of Migrant Workers advised manning agencies to improve their pre-departure orientation programs by including training on child pornography laws and sexual violence awareness.

Carnival Cruise Line also issued a statement to WTKR, saying it always cooperates with law enforcement investigations. The company said it provides ongoing training and education to ensure crew members follow internet safety guidelines.

Meanwhile, two Filipino organizations, the Pilipino Workers Center and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, staged a protest in Virginia on Sunday, July 20. They said the wrongful deportations had been happening since April and involved over 100 crew members removed from ports including Norfolk and Port Canaveral.

According to the groups, CBP officers boarded ships, removed crew members in handcuffs, confiscated their phones, and accused them of possessing child pornography, even though no formal charges were made. Some crew members were interrogated and then sent back to their ships, while others were deported despite never facing trial.

One worker was detained, released, and then seized again the following week. The advocacy groups said crew members are now scared of stepping off the ship when docked in US ports.

In July, reports surfaced in the Great Lakes area about CBP conducting an “ongoing operation” targeting crew members. Victory Cruise Lines confirmed that a few crew from their ships Victory I and Victory II had been removed.

Per media reports, 13 workers were taken off these vessels. CBP also reportedly removed crew members from Viking and Pearl Sea Cruises operating in the Great Lakes region.

The labor groups said the deportations are being carried out as administrative actions, meaning none of the crew members have been arrested or criminally charged. They argued that this approach leaves no room for due process or defense and violates the workers’ rights.

References: asianews, cebudailynews

Source: Maritime Shipping News