A group of approximately 35 demonstrators gathered outside Carnival Cruise Line’s terminal in Baltimore today following reports that four Filipino crew members were forcibly removed from Carnival Pride earlier this month.
According to accounts shared during the rally, the crew were taken from the ship by U.S. immigration authorities on September 7 and deported without legal representation or due process.
The specific agency involved was not initially confirmed, though both U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were referenced.
Carnival Cruise Line acknowledged the incident but declined to provide further details. “This is a law enforcement matter of which we always cooperate, and we defer to the authorities for further comment,” a spokesperson from Carnival said.
CBP Alleges Criminal Material Involved
In a statement issued following the rally, CBP confirmed that its officers boarded Carnival Pride based on intelligence suggesting some crew members possessed child sexual exploitation material.
“After boarding the vessel and interviewing four suspected crew members, officers confirmed the crew had received and viewed the exploitation material,” CBP said, adding that their shore passes were revoked and they were removed from the U.S.
CBP referred to the crew members as “criminals” but did not specify whether formal charges were filed.
Protesters Cite Lack of Due Process
At the rally held at 2001 East McComas Street, speakers criticized both Carnival Cruise Line and the Philippine government for failing to protect the crew’s rights.
“This was really a heinous act,” said Mark Rodrigo of the Malaya Movement Baltimore, one of the organizing groups. Former seafarer Philip Coronado added, “My call is that their due process be upheld and respected.”
The group Tanggol Migrante, a coalition advocating for Filipino migrant workers, said this was part of a broader pattern of targeting Filipino seafarers. They cited reports that over 100 Filipinos have been removed from U.S. seaports in the last year under similar circumstances.
According to a report in the publication Marino PH, one of the removed crew members claimed he was awakened in his cabin, handcuffed, and detained despite denying any wrongdoing. He and the others were reportedly interrogated for hours and then deported to Manila via Doha, Qatar.
The steward alleged that the accusations stemmed from family photos of their children, a claim that has not been independently verified.
Carnival Pride sails seasonally from Baltimore, Maryland.
