Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo recently took the opportunity to relay to United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson the case of Filipino seafarers who were denied entry to the U.S.
Senator Tulfo discussed the details of the Filipino seafarers’ situation with Ambassador Carlson over a dinner meeting at her residence.
The action of Senator Tulfo came after Filipino seafarers approached him during the Senate hearing on migrant workers last August 13.
The seafarers who worked as cruise ship crew claimed that when their vessel docked at a U.S. territory, officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) boarded the ship and proceeded to inspect their mobile phones one by one.
According to them, although no child pornographic materials—the very items ICE was specifically looking for—were found on their phones, their entry was still denied, and some were even detained before being deported.
Ambassador Carlson explained entry standards of U.S. Immigration became much stricter under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, but clarified this policy applies to all nationalities, not just Filipinos.
Senator Tulfo pointed out ICE should have at least presented evidence if they indeed found child pornographic materials on the seafarers’ phones before subjecting them to such negative actions.
Ambassador Carlson admitted that while U.S. Immigration is the one authorized to enforce any action at all points of entry, she also believes that they, too, can make mistakes.
Nonetheless, Ambassador Carlson assured she would study the Filipino seafarers’ complaints.
