Philippines embassy contacts US State Department over denial of entry for seafarers

THE Embassy of the Philippines in Washington DC said it had engaged with US authorities after reports that Filipino seafarers have been denied entry at US ports.

The US Department of State and of Homeland Security were contacted by the embassy following several high-profile reports of deportations of Filipino seafarers.

Earlier this year, several Filipino seafarers working on board a Carnival Cruise Line vessel docked at Virginia were deported after they were accused of being in possession of child pornography, the Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported.

The seafarers denied the claims made against them in the Philippines senate. The Philippines News Agency (the official news outlet of the Philippines government) said no evidence was found, yet the seafarers were denied entry, detained and later deported anyway.

Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia told the senate 87 Filipino seafarers had been deported during the second Trump administration.

The embassy said it has been informed that the denial of entry for the seafarers concerned “was done in accordance with existing US laws, regulations and policies”.

The Department of Migrant Workers is continuing to provide assistance to affected seafarers.