Workers on a Disney cruise ship were reportedly detained by federal immigration agents shortly after docking in California. About ten employees from the Disney Magic ship were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers when the vessel docked in San Diego on April 23, according to NBC 7. This incident occurs amid the Trump administration's intensified crackdown on deporting illegal immigrants.
Passenger Witnesses Detention
Passenger Dharmi Mehta filmed the crew members being loaded into a white van after she had disembarked from her five-day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada. She described observing officers taking the staffers off the ship in restraints. 'Earlier, while I was waiting to clear customs, I observed another set of officers with other employees in restraints, walking them off the boat and in restraints,' she said. 'It wasn't until they turned around that you could read the back where it says Customs and Border, but it still said, you know, police or officer.'
Mehta recognized one of the men as the waiter who served her and her family during their trip. 'He was full in uniform, which was in a blazer, tie. Some of the other employees were still in their chef's uniforms with their name tags on it,' she told KGTV.
Concern for Detained Workers
'It was really unsettling. Just my big concern, like how is he gonna reach out to his family? Does the family even know that he's not getting back on the ship today?' Mehta said. She contacted Union del Barrio, a local immigration advocacy group, and notified them of what she had seen. The group investigated the incident and claimed that crew members from a Holland America ship were detained at the same port just a few days later.
'This is not an isolated incident,' said Benjamin Prado from Union del Barrio. 'In fact, it has become a growing pattern, not only here in San Diego but throughout this country.' He added, 'It is our responsibility as a society, as working people, to really denounce these actions by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the prolonged detention of migrant workers, whether it be here in our own community as well as those that work on ships.'
Official Responses
The Daily Mail has contacted ICE, CBP, the Port of San Diego, and Disney Cruises for comment. A spokesperson for the Port of San Diego told local media it was not involved in any immigration enforcement activities. 'The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department did not have any involvement in the reported enforcement actions on April 23 or April 25 at the B Street Cruise Terminal. We did not receive any calls for service related to these incidents,' the spokesperson said. 'In accordance with California law, including SB 54, Harbor Police does not participate in immigration enforcement activities. The B Street Cruise Terminal is a federal port of entry, where law enforcement authority for immigration and customs matters rests with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As such, any enforcement actions taken onboard vessels or within the federal inspection area fall under CBP's jurisdiction.'
Holland America did not comment on the incident but told local media that it is a law enforcement matter and that it cooperates with law enforcement investigations in jurisdictions where it operates.
