SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Local immigration groups are demanding answers after cruise ship workers from two ships docked in San Diego were detained by Customs and Border Protection late last month.
A passenger aboard the Disney Magic alerted local immigration groups about what she witnessed while the ship was docked and disembarking. Video shared by the passenger appears to show at least 4 CBP officers detaining several Disney Cruise employees, with people detained, hands behind their backs.
The video was taken by Dharmi Mehta, a passenger on the cruise.
"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 said.
Mehta says the Disney employees were still in uniform when she saw them being walked off the ship. She believes one was her main server on the cruise.
"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," Mehta said.
Mehta notified Union del Barrio, a local immigration advocacy group, which held a press conference Tuesday alongside other community groups demanding answers about where the workers are now.
Union del Barrio says about 10 Disney employees were detained by CBP on April 23rd, and 4 from a Holland America ship two days later on April 25th.
"It is our responsibility as society, as working people, to really denounce these actions by Customs and Border Protection," said Benjamin Prado of Union Del Barrio.
ABC 10News reached out to Customs and Border Protection for details about what happened, and they said they are working on getting a response.
Maritime attorney Michael Winkleman says CBP does have jurisdiction over any ship in a U.S. port, as do other federal agencies like the FBI.
"CBP obviously had a reason to go on there. It could have been something criminal. It could have been something visa-related. It really could have been any number of other things," Winkleman said.
Holland America said in a statement that this is a law enforcement matter and that they cooperate with law enforcement investigations in jurisdictions where they operate, and referred all other questions to CBP.
Disney did not respond to requests for information.
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