Michael James Garcia, a 39-year-old marine engineer from the Philippines, has worked in the cruise ship industry for two decades, most recently with Viking Ocean Cruises. Despite having a clean record with U.S. immigration, Garcia’s visa was revoked, and he was banned from entering the U.S. for ten years after being accused of having an email linked to a child pornography website. He denies any involvement and was never charged with a crime. Garcia’s case is part of a larger pattern affecting over 200 Filipino sailors deported from the U.S. since 2025, all accused but not charged with similar offenses. The Pilipino Workers Center has documented these cases, highlighting concerns over due process and the impact of immigration crackdowns. Customs and Border Protection denies targeting Filipino seafarers.
QUESTION: How might the lack of due process in immigration cases affect individuals and their families?
Deported Filipino sailors say they were falsely linked to child sexual abuse material
