Washington: The Philippine Embassy in Washington is coordinating with United States authorities over the reported denial of entry to Filipinos in some US ports of entry. The embassy revealed that it is aware of reports concerning Filipino seafarers facing this issue “in recent months.”

According to Philippines News Agency, the denial of entry for the concerned seafarers was conducted in compliance with existing US laws, regulations, and policies. The embassy assured that it will continue to engage with the relevant agencies regarding these denials and ensure that mandatory consular notification is observed in such cases.

Furthermore, the embassy mentioned that the Department of Migrant Workers is prepared to support the affected seafarers. It emphasized that providing assistance to the seafarers, particularly in finding new employment, falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which is responsible for aiding overseas Filipino workers.

In an incident reported in August, some Filipino seafarers described experiences where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents boarded their ships upon docking at a U.S. territory. The agents inspected the seafarers’ mobile phones for child pornography materials. Although no such materials were found, some crew members were denied entry, detained, and eventually deported.