U.S. Deportations of Filipino Seafarers Raise Questions
Since 2025, over 200 Filipino seafarers have been deported from the United States after being accused of possessing child pornography—yet none have been charged or prosecuted.
These deportations have occurred in ports across the country, including Charleston (South Carolina), Baltimore (Maryland), San Diego (California), and Port Canaveral (Florida).
A Pattern of Expedited Removal
The sequence of events follows a consistent pattern:
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents board ships at dock, usually in the morning. Agents round up Filipino crew members, take them off the ship, and interrogate them.
Seafarers are asked to provide mobile phones; agents review call logs, text messages, and social media. Accusations are made about accessing or possessing child sexual exploitation material, but no evidence is presented to the individuals.
Visas are revoked and marked "CWOP" (cancelled without prejudice). Within 24 hours, the individuals are deported to the Philippines.
Voices from the Affected
Michael James Garcia (39), a marine engineer who worked for Viking Ocean Cruises, was interrogated in Charleston in October 2024. His visa was revoked and he received a 10-year US entry ban.
F (53), a professional mariner, was deported from San Diego in April 2025 after being accused of accessing a child pornography link in 2017-2018.
C (27), a housekeeping attendant on a Carnival cruise, was deported from Baltimore in summer 2024. His visa was marked "CWOP."
Benedict Vipinosa (34), deported in 2024, received approximately $813 from the Philippine government.
Official Positions and Criticism
CBP spokesperson: Allegations of targeting Filipino seafarers are "FALSE." They stated they are "targeting criminal aliens including these child predators." However, they did not respond to questions about why individuals were deported without charges.
Aquilina Soriano Versoza, Pilipino Workers Center: Described the process as unjust, noting seafarers are not given a chance to clear their names because no charges are filed.
"Seafarers are not given a chance to clear their names because no charges are filed."
Philippines Embassy in Washington, DC: Stated that denial of entry is an administrative decision and that deportation avoids protracted prosecution. They denied that Filipino seafarers are being singled out.
Jom Dolor, Migrante USA: Accused the embassy of willfully denying facts and abandoning its responsibility.
Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez: Said detained individuals "have some problems with the law" and reiterated that Filipinos are not being targeted.
Lasting Consequences for Deported Seafarers
Those deported face severe, ongoing challenges:
- Difficulty finding employment, especially on cruise ships requiring US visas
- Stigma from job staffing agencies treating them as if convicted
- Limited financial assistance from the Philippine government
- Some believe deportations are politically motivated to boost US deportation numbers
Philippine Government Response
The Philippines Department of Migrant Workers provides state assistance and welfare checks for deported seafarers. However, many affected individuals feel abandoned by their government, questioning why more is not being done to challenge what they see as an unjust process.