Filipino workers pulled from cruise ship in US immigration raid
In a joint statement, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) condemned the removals, describing them as part of an 'alarming escalation of unjust immigration practices.'
The crew members held valid 10-year U.S. work visas and had not been charged with any crimes, the groups emphasized.
'These crew members are hardworking parents and spouses with clean records, having passed rigorous background checks to obtain their visas,' the statement read. 'Their sudden removal, combined with the revocation of their visas and a decade-long re-entry ban, has brought not only humiliation but also financial devastation to their families.'
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed an active operation but did not release specific details, according to USA Today. Additional cruise lines, including Viking and Pearl Seas Cruises, have reportedly also been affected by similar actions.
The advocacy groups warned that remaining crew aboard the Carnival Sunshine now fear they could be next, as the ship is scheduled to return to Norfolk this Sunday.
'This incident reflects a broader national trend of workplace immigration raids targeting crew members with valid documents and no criminal background,' the groups said. 'We are deeply concerned about the erosion of due process and the impact on these individuals and their families.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwaiti Couple Sentenced After Torturing Filipino Maid to Death
KUWAIT CITY, July 28: The Criminal Court has sentenced a Kuwaiti citizen and his wife to death for the brutal killing of their domestic worker. The charges included physically assaulting the maid to death, unlawfully detaining her, denying her medical care, and forcing her to work while being subjected to torture. Earlier, the Public Prosecution had ordered the couple to be held in custody for 21 days on charges of murdering their Filipino maid. They were subsequently transferred to the Central Prison and officially charged with premeditated murder — a crime that is punishable by death. In its case, the Prosecution sought the maximum possible penalty, stating that the defendants had intentionally and repeatedly beaten the maid, ultimately resulting in her death.
Arab Times
20-07-2025
- Arab Times
Filipino workers pulled from cruise ship in US immigration raid
NORFOLK, Va, July 20: At least 18 Filipino crew members were forcibly removed in handcuffs from the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship at the Port of Norfolk, Virginia, and deported to the Philippines, according to Filipino American advocacy groups. The individuals have also reportedly been barred from re-entering the United States for 10 years. In a joint statement, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) condemned the removals, describing them as part of an 'alarming escalation of unjust immigration practices.' The crew members held valid 10-year U.S. work visas and had not been charged with any crimes, the groups emphasized. 'These crew members are hardworking parents and spouses with clean records, having passed rigorous background checks to obtain their visas,' the statement read. 'Their sudden removal, combined with the revocation of their visas and a decade-long re-entry ban, has brought not only humiliation but also financial devastation to their families.' The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed an active operation but did not release specific details, according to USA Today. Additional cruise lines, including Viking and Pearl Seas Cruises, have reportedly also been affected by similar actions. The advocacy groups warned that remaining crew aboard the Carnival Sunshine now fear they could be next, as the ship is scheduled to return to Norfolk this Sunday. 'This incident reflects a broader national trend of workplace immigration raids targeting crew members with valid documents and no criminal background,' the groups said. 'We are deeply concerned about the erosion of due process and the impact on these individuals and their families.'
Arab Times
29-05-2025
- Arab Times
East Timor to deport ex-Filipino congressman accused of masterminding governor's murder
DILI, East Timor, May 29, (AP): East Timor said Thursday it would deport a former Filipino congressman charged with multiple murders in the Philippines and added that he was a national security threat whose presence could damage the country's image ahead of its entry to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Ex-Rep Arnolfo Teves Jr was arrested in East Timor's capital of Dili on Wednesday by immigration authorities and would immediately be deported to the Philippines for staying without a visa and after his passport was cancelled by Manila's Department of Foreign Affairs, the East Timor government said in a statement. East Timor did not immediately specify a date for the deportation of Teves, who has been staying in Dili for more than two years as he tried to seek asylum, straining relations between the two Southeast Asian democracies. The Philippines has been calling on East Timor to repatriate Teves to face trial. The Department of Justice in Manila on Thursday welcomed East Timor's decision and said it has designated a team of justice and immigration officials to help repatriate Teves. East Timor said in a statement that Teves' presence in the country was "unacceptable' and his stay for more than two years "poses a disruptive factor in bilateral relations between the two states and establishes a serious precedent with potential implications for internal security.' "The perception that Timor-Leste might be viewed as a refuge for individuals fleeing international justice undermines the integrity of our borders and our shared efforts to combat transnational crime,' East Timor said, using the country's formal name. "The imminent full accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, scheduled for October this year, further reinforces the responsibility of the Timorese state to actively collaborate with its regional partners in upholding justice, legality, and stability in the region,' according to East Timor. East Timor President José Ramos-Horta told The Associated Press in an interview in Dili in September that there was "no possibility, under the law' that Teves would be able to remain in East Timor and that he would likely be sent back to the Philippines after his appeal to gain asylum had been exhausted.
