Philippine Embassy Alarmed as U.S. Bars Filipino Seafarers from American Ports

The Philippine Embassy in the United States has expressed concern after U.S. authorities reportedly barred Filipino seafarers from entering American ports.

Embassy officials immediately met with representatives from the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security following reports that Filipino seafarers had been denied entry to several U.S. ports in recent months.

“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 embassy said in a statement.

The embassy stressed that there should be a “mandatory consular notification” for Filipino seafarers who are denied entry to U.S. ports.

While the embassy did not specify the number of affected seafarers, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia revealed during a Senate hearing in August that nearly 100 Filipino seafarers had been deported by the U.S. government as of mid-2025.

Among those reportedly deported were 21 Filipino crew members of the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine at the Port of Norfolk in Virginia.

The embassy said it has engaged with concerned U.S. government agencies, including the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, regarding the reported denial of entry faced by Filipino seafarers at U.S. ports in recent months.

“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 reiterated.

Nevertheless, the embassy said it will continue coordinating with the said agencies to ensure that mandatory consular notification is observed in such cases.

Regarding assistance to affected seafarers in finding new employment, the embassy noted that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which is mandated to provide support to overseas Filipino workers. The DMW has previously expressed its readiness to assist the affected seafarers.