No Evidence, No Due Process: CBP Bypasses the Law to Deport Seafarers

PWC Urges Reinstatement of 200 Filipino Seafarer Visas,

Halt to Deportations

May 23, 2026

3 min read

San Diego, CA — 26 Filipino seafarers were unlawfully deported from the San Diego port in April 2026. To date, more than 200 Filipino seafarers have been detained, had their U.S. visas revoked, and deported without formal charges. The issue was brought to PWC’s attention last year after several seafarers were deported from the port of Norfolk, Virginia.  Pilipino Workers Center is demanding an immediate end to the unconstitutional and unjust immigration enforcement practices by CBP.

Dubbed as “Operation Tidal Wave,” the operation is led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The workers, all holding valid U.S. visas to serve aboard international vessels, have allegedly been accused of crimes involving child sexual abuse material during inspections by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, advocates say none of the workers have been presented with evidence, formally charged in court, or convicted of any crime.

Instead, the seafarers are reportedly subjected to closed-door interrogations without legal representation before their visas are revoked, and they are immediately deported, leaving them unable to work and separating them from their families.

"Approximately 218 Filipino seafarers have been detained and deported from the United States without just cause," said Madeline Dimayuga, Seafarers Campaign Coordinator at the Pilipino Workers Center. "There is no evidence supporting the allegations made by CBP, DHS, or HSI against these workers. They came here legally with valid work visas, yet their livelihoods were taken away the moment those visas were revoked."

To bring more national attention to the issue, PWC organized a press conference and community action for the campaign SOS: Save Our Seafarers. Along with PWC, community members, labor advocates, faith leaders, and supporters gathered at the boardwalk along Harbor Drive in San Diego on May 23, 2026. The rally called for accountability from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and demanded that the affected workers receive due process.

"Even after almost a year, these deportations have not stopped, and the number of affected seafarers has grown to more than 200," said Myrla Baldonado, Director of Community Empowerment at PWC. "Families continue to suffer while workers are denied the opportunity to defend themselves."

PWC Executive Director Aquilina Soriano Versoza said the organization's campaign is rooted in protecting the constitutional rights of all workers, regardless of immigration status or occupation. "We call on CBP and the Department of Homeland Security to stop denying workers their right to due process," Soriano Versoza said. "No one should be accused of a crime without evidence or denied access to legal counsel."

The organization is calling on federal officials to halt the deportations immediately, restore the visas of the affected seafarers, clear their names, and investigate the actions of the agencies involved. "Justice for these seafarers means reinstating their visas so they can return to work, restoring their reputations, and holding CBP accountable for these unconstitutional and un-American actions," Soriano Versoza added.

For families, the consequences extend far beyond immigration status. Many have lost their primary source of income overnight while living under the shadow of allegations they have never had the opportunity to contest.

"Sana intindihin nila ang kalagayan ng mga seaman na ito. Sana mahinto na ang ganitong gawain ng gobyerno," said Normie Macabantad, a relative of one of the affected seafarers.

PWC and its coalition partners continue to organize under the SOS: Save Our Seafarers campaign, urging elected officials, labor organizations, and the public to stand with Filipino seafarers and defend the principles of due process and human rights.

To learn more about the campaign or support the affected workers, visit www.pwcsc.org/seafarers.