The Philippine Embassy in Washington has announced that it is in touch with authorities regarding recent entry denials faced by Filipino seafarers at U.S. ports.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the embassy stated that it has contacted the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security regarding the matter.
“It has been informed that the denial of entry for the concerned seafarers was done in accordance with existing U.S. laws, regulations, and policies,” the statement read.
The Embassy also vowed that it would continue to engage with the U.S. government regarding these denials of entry and ensure that mandatory consular notification is observed in such cases.
It added that the matter of assisting affected seafarers in finding new employment falls under the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which has expressed readiness to provide the necessary support.
To recall, in August, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia reported that at least 93 Filipino seafarers had been deported by the US government by mid-2025.
Of these, 87 were deported after US President Donald Trump began his second administration in January.
Olalia then clarified that none of the 93 deportees were carrying any contraband, nor had cases been filed against them to merit entry denial.
