“We were treated like criminals”: 100+ crew members deported from Carnival Cruise Line

• More than 100 cruise ship crew members based in the United States have been deported.
• One of the workers deported said: “We were treated like criminals. No food, no water. We were crying. “
• Carnival Cruise Line said that it is a “law enforcement” matter. 

The highly publicised deportations of immigrants in the United States are now being felt in the cruise industry as well.

The Filipino Workers Centre and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations have alleged that Filipino cruise ship members are being removed from cruise ships and deported without due process. 

The organisation reported that as many as 80 Filipino crew members have been deported from Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Vista. It has also been reported that at least 18 Filipino crew members were taken off Carnival Sunshine in handcuffs and deported without the chance to consult with legal counsel.

Marcelo Morales, a chef who was taken off a ship told the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: “We were treated like criminals. No food, no water. We were crying. We want justice for what was done to us.”

There have been protests since these deportations, as it is alleged that these workers were wrongfully deported. The workers say that they were not given any food or water after their arrest and that they felt abandoned by Carnival Cruise Line. 

Carnival Cruise Line commented that it is a “law enforcement” matter. 

There have been accusations that the crew members removed from Carnival Sunshine possessed child pornography, but no evidence has been presented and no crew member has been charged or found guilty.

In total, more than 100 Filipino crew members have been reportedly taken off cruise ships and deported.

This has also been seen in other areas of the United States. Customs and Border Protection is also undertaking operations in the Great Lakes Region, where it has been reported that 13 individuals have been removed from ships of Victory Cruise Lines, as well as an unspecified number of cruise ship workers from a Viking cruise ship and Pearl Sea Cruises.

The 13 individuals in question held work visas which permit them to work in the United States.

John Waggoner, chairman of Victory Cruise Lines said: “We are actively cooperating with federal authorities to clarify the circumstances, and my priority is always our crew and the experience for our guests.”