Manila: Senator Raffy Tulfo announced that he has brought the concerns of Filipino seafarers to the attention of United States Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, in response to their claims of unfair deportation by US immigration authorities.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tulfo, who leads the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, utilized a recent dinner meeting with Ambassador Carlson to discuss the testimonies of seafarers given during a Senate hearing on August 13. Tulfo conveyed the serious issues faced by the Filipino seafarers, who reported being denied entry and deported by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without evidence.

Tulfo noted that Ambassador Carlson assured him that the matter would be reviewed. Carlson explained that the current immigration policy of the US does not specifically target Filipino seafarers and emphasized their significant contribution to the maritime industry and economy. She promised to examine the situation thoroughly.

During the Senate hearing, seafarers shared their experiences of ICE agents boarding their vessel in a US territory, inspecting their mobile phones for prohibited content, and, despite finding none, some crew members being denied entry, detained, and ultimately deported.

Ambassador Carlson explained to Tulfo that the immigration policies have become more stringent since the administration of US President Donald Trump, affecting all nationalities equally. Tulfo assured that the Senate would keep a close watch on the issue to safeguard the rights of Filipino migrant workers, especially seafarers.