The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is verifying reports that 18 Filipino seafarers were detained and forcibly sent back to the Philippines in handcuffs due to alleged violations related to child pornography discovered on their cell phones.
According to reports, the 18 Filipino sailors were part of the crew on the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship, which docked at the Port of Norfolk, Virginia. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents reportedly detained them over suspected violations of child pornography laws.
This incident has ignited anger among American communities and advocates for immigrant rights.
One of the seafarers, Marcelo Morales took to Facebook to share a post with DMW, where he raised serious allegations regarding the treatment of Filipino seafarers in the United States.
According to the post, Filipino seafarers onboard the cruise ship experienced racial discrimination and will seek justice from the government.
It highlighted a troubling situation where thousands of individuals have reportedly been arrested and subsequently deported back to their home countries, raising concerns about their rights and the systemic issues they face.
“We were treated like criminals. We were deprived of food and water. We were in tears. We seek justice for what was done to us,” Morales, a chef from the cruise ship posted.
Since February 2025, CBP agents have been boarding the cruise ship at nearly every port call to Norfolk, apprehending Filipino crew members in groups.
Morales recounted that his nightmare began on May 30 when agents examined his phone for illegal content.
“They seized my cellphone and conducted a thorough inspection. After the official search, they inquired if I had viewed child pornography. I refuted the claim, and after finding nothing, I was cleared and permitted to return to the vessel—no charges, no citation, not even a warning,” he remembered.
However, on June 28, when the Carnival Sunshine docked once more in Norfolk, agents returned and arrested Morales. His fingerprints and DNA samples were collected, and he was informed that he was being accused of viewing child sexual abuse material—despite having been cleared weeks earlier.
“No new evidence was presented. They didn’t re-examine my phone—they merely placed it in a small transparent envelope and took me away,” he explained.
Eight other Filipino crew members—including a fellow chef, four stewards, a waiter, and a sanitation worker—were also taken into custody.
