Valid visas, baseless claims: The aggressive deportation of Filipino seafarers

September 27 is National Seafarers’ Day. But this year’s theme, “Marinong Filipino: Matatag sa Alon, Matibay sa Hamon!” holds special irony for Filipino seafarers caught in the US immigration crackdown known as “Operation Tidal Wave.” Operation Tidal Wave mandates Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to arrest and deport cruise ship workers who allegedly consume child pornography. According to US immigration lawyer Ian Seruelo, contrary to how US immigration has operated in the past, CBP is allowed to act solely on suspicion and is not required to produce evidence to support its allegations. This has disproportionately impacted Filipino cruise ship workers. Approximately 278 cruise ship workers — 270 of whom are Filipinos — have been deported from US ports since April 2025. Many were longtime cruise ship workers who had experienced no issues prior to 2025. Source: Pilipino Workers Center Aqui Soriano, executive director of Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), situated these deportations within the context of a changed US immigration system. “Now there are less guardrails,” said Aqui. “In the push to fulfill Trump’s quota of 1 million deportations, they say they are targeting criminal aliens when the vast majority have no criminal records at all.” Deported Filipino seafarers are part of this larger trend. ‘All Filipinos are suspect’ On cruise ships worldwide, almost 1 out of 3 workers is Filipino. “So is there specific targeting or is it proportional?” asks Ellene Sana, executive director of the Quezon City-based Center for Migrant Advocacy. “We don’t know. But we know the impact of the deportations is far and wide.” Deported seafarers attest to the severe impacts. Many are the primary breadwinners for intergenerational families. Many are still in debt from the cost of trainings and certifications required to land cruise ship employment. Many of them also believe that Filipinos are being specifically targeted for deportation. “There was one Filipino who was caught in 2024,” said Reynaldo, a deported seafarer who worked as a galley attendant. “Since then I think that’s been an excuse to randomly target other Filipinos like us.” Seruelo agrees that deported Filipino seafarers could be the victims of collective punishment. “This administration has the propensity to do that,” he said. “Since one or two Filipino workers have been charged, now all Filipinos are suspects.” No evidence to support accusations At a September 21st public forum in Quezon City organized by PWC, the Center for Migrant Advocacy, and the Save Our Seafarers Coalition, seafarers shared their stories of being targeted, arrested, and deported by Customs and Border Patrol. A pattern emerges from these, as well as the stories of nine other seafarers interviewed by Rappler. The seafarers were forcibly taken from ships docked at ports throughout the US, where they were legally and diligently working as cooks, casino dealers, galley attendants, motormen, security officers, and more. Customs and Border Patrol agents interrogated them on their ships, searched their cabins — sometimes violently — seized their phones and confiscated many of their possessions. The seafarers were then taken off the ship for further interrogation at the port, with only the uniform on their backs, then shackled and transported by third-party private drivers to the nearest airport. At the airport, many were subjected to further interrogation for hours, in freezing temperatures with no food and little water, and were not allowed to make phone calls or even talk to their fellow detainees. All of the deported seafarers had valid C1/D visas that allowed them to work on their ships. None was attempting to enter the US by leaving their ships. All of the seafarers were subject to erratic accusations ranging from clicking on email links to affiliating with African child trafficking rings to possessing photos of naked children. None of the seafarers interviewed by Rappler were ever presented with evidence to support CBP’s accusations. One seafarer, however, was shown a video he had taken of a seal swimming in the ocean as supposed “evidence” of child pornography. ‘Likely to jump ship’ Alex, a manager who has worked on cruise ships for more than 23 years, was accused of possessing child pornography, and also of terrorist activity through alleged involvement with Mexican drug cartels. “I had no idea where this was coming from,” Alex said. “I just said no, of course I’ve never been involved in either of those things!” Mark, a cook, said he was accused of clicking a link in a child pornography email, but when he asked to see the email, CBP never complied. CBP then pressured him to sign a form and threatened him with a US$100,000 fine. Feeling he had no other choice, Mark signed, only to discover that the form had no mention of child pornography. All it said was he was “likely to jump ship” and that he was working illegally, even though he had a valid working visa. Jordan, an assistant cook, was never even accused of a crime. He was just told there was a problem with his visa and then deported. He is now facing the same discrimination as the other seafarers for having a revoked US visa. James, a motorman with more than 20 years experience working on cruise ships, believes that Filipinos are being deported using any reason that CBP can get away with, and not exactly for the sake of collective punishment. “Filipinos are the main targets because they know that our government is weak,” said James. “The US has a quota to fill and they know the Philippine government is not going to do anything to protest.” James was able to obtain a new contract on a Chinese ship, but only because he happened to have a contact in China. “The government didn’t help me at all,” he said. Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy Last year, approximately 90 deported seafarers were able to avail of monetary support from a newly created government Aksyon Fund. But according to Myrla Baldonado of PWC, this fund dried up and left the majority of deported seafarers without assistance. Reynaldo, who is now working in Europe thanks to support from his manning agency, also expressed disappointment in the Philippine government. “The DMW’s promises never came to fruition,” he said. “They excel at making promises and putting on appearances when the harsh reality is, it felt like a complete show just to make it look like they were doing their jobs.” Advocates from the Save Our Seafarers coalition are hoping this will change. At the September 21st forum, representatives from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) both pledged a renewed commitment to helping deported seafarers. “This situation is mas maingay, mas delikado (louder, more dangerous) because of our Middle East crisis. But this forum has triggered interest to let the government hear you again,” said DMW Assistant Secretary Ogie San Diego. “We have to dwell on your innocence. The DMW wants to add personal welfare officers in every port, but we have to be careful about encroaching on the sovereignty of the US.” OWWA lawyer Jasmine Ann Gapatan echoed the need to respect US sovereignty, but committed to individual case management for affected seafarers. She also announced new skills training for land-based employment including virtual assistant, barista, and digital content training. Later that same afternoon, Senator Risa Hontiveros delivered a privilege speech on deported seafarers that urged the DMW and the Department of Foreign Affairs to account for every deported seafarers’ needs. “A person should not lose an entire career simply because an allegation followed him home,” said Hontiveros. “The fight against child sexual abuse and the protection of due process are not opposing principles. We can, and must, do both.” No new contracts Ellene of CMA praised the senator’s speech saying it was a message of “assurance that the Philippine government heard [the seafarers’] cry for justice loud and clear.” Hontiveros also called for stronger mechanisms for consular intervention, and pressing for compliance with mandatory consular notification. This is a practice that could have helped James. At the time of his removal, CBP was also removing a Norwegian worker from the ship. But an HR representative from Viking Ocean Cruises called the Norwegian embassy, and as a result the Norwegian worker was allowed to stay. James did not receive the same treatment. But James is one of the lucky ones who was able to find new work. A few others were helped by E-GMP International and North Seas, rare manning agencies who have actually stood up for their kababayan (compatriot). But the majority of deported seafarers are still searching for new contracts and facing discrimination along the way. Carl and his wife Mica, who met while working in cruise ship casinos, have been unable to secure new contracts since April 2025. Carl was deported due to false accusations, and Mica was later forced to resign. “The ordeal we went through was full of torment and terror,” said Carl. “More than a year has passed and it’s still a struggle. All we ask is for the chance to rebuild what was taken from us.” Royal Caribbean regularly awarded Carl and Mica Employees of the Month while they worked on the ship. Given their skills and how popular they were with passengers and managers alike, Carl feels strongly that they are now being discriminated against given the false accusations of possessing child pornography. He appealed to both the government and manning agencies to do more for all deported seafarers. “You call us OFWs the modern day heroes, but even heroes need help,” said Carl. “We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for fairness, due process, and protection.” There is foreign precedent for the protection Filipino seafarers are demanding. In September 2025, 300 South Koreans with valid B-1 visas were swept up in an immigration raid at a US auto plant. They were similarly placed in shackles, held in detention, and forced to sign documents they didn’t understand. The South Korean government took swift action, with the president condemning the raid and the foreign minister flying to Washington within days. This diplomatic action led to a reversal from Trump, changes to the US visa system, and an offer to return to work for all Koreans affected by the raid. Will the Philippine government follow South Korea’s example and step up its defense of Filipino seafarers? Or will more Filipino heroes have to suffer the consequences of what lawyer Ian Seruelo calls US immigration enforcement’s “groundless assaults on people’s rights”? According to US Customs and Border Patrol, there is no deadline for Operation Tidal Wave, and it may even be extended to other ships, including cargo ships, in the future. – Rappler.com Seafarers’ names have been changed to protect their privacy and prevent potential discrimination by government or manning agencies.