Cruise Ship Crackdown: ICE Detains Crew Members on Disney Magic and Holland America Ships in San Diego

The Port of San Diego is a major economic driver for the region, but recent enforcement actions by federal immigration agents have left passengers and advocacy groups deeply unsettled. Travelers returning from vacation reported witnessing several crew members being led away in restraints, raising questions about the future of maritime labor and the transparency of federal operations at the terminal.

Witnesses Describe Restraints and Detentions

Dharmi Mehta, a passenger aboard the Disney ship Magic, shared her family's experience after returning from a five-day cruise to Catalina and Ensenada. Mehta said the atmosphere shifted from vacation to confusion when she saw agents loading workers into a white van at the terminal.

Mehta reported seeing officers with employees in restraints walking them off the boat. She expressed significant concern for a specific member of the serving staff whom her family had befriended during the trip. The worker, a father of two, reportedly only had two weeks left on the ship before a scheduled visit home. Mehta described the scene as disheartening and unsettling for her family.

Patterns of Enforcement

Immigrant rights groups, including Union del Barrio, have been monitoring the situation and report that this is not an isolated incident. According to Benjamin Prado of Union del Barrio, at least 10 crew members were detained from the Disney Magic, followed by a similar enforcement action involving a handful of crew members on a Holland America ship just two days later.

Prado identified a growing pattern of workplace enforcement at ports across the country. He raised concerns over what he described as a suspension of due process and limited access to consular services for the detained workers. His organization has demanded that ICE and CBP provide information regarding the current whereabouts of the crew members.

Jurisdictional Authority

The Port of San Diego issued a statement clarifying that enforcement actions within the terminal fall outside of local harbor police control. The B Street Cruise Terminal is designated as a federal port of entry.

Key jurisdictional points include:

• Law enforcement authority for immigration and customs rests solely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

• Any enforcement actions taken onboard vessels or within the federal inspection area fall under federal jurisdiction.

• Local port authorities do not have oversight regarding the detention or processing of international crew members.

Future Plans and Unanswered Questions

The enforcement actions come at a time when Disney is planning to double its cruise operations in San Diego. Local media reached out to the cruise line and federal agencies to determine if these detentions would impact future schedules or recruitment, but they have not yet received a response.

Advocates say they will continue to press for transparency, noting that the families of these workers are often left in the dark when detentions occur at sea or at federal ports of entry.

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