ICE agents storm Disney cruise docked in California and arrest multiple staff in front of passengers: reports

Some travelers on Disney’s Magic cruise ship were left disturbed earlier this month after ICE agents stormed onto the vessel and detained several crew members.

Immigrant rights groups said at least 10 crew members were detained at the Port of San Diego on April 23 after the Disney-run cruise ship returned following a five-day trip.

Dharmi Mehta and her family had enjoyed their trip, but were upset when they saw the head waiter, whom they had become close with, being led away from the docked boat with his hands zip-tied behind his back.

“We got to know him fairly well, and he had actually been serving us probably 45 minutes to an hour before he was in restraints,” she said during a news conference Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the horrifying incident.

Crew members were still wearing their Disney-issued uniforms and didn’t have any of their belongings with them as they were being detained. Mehta said she knew the head waiter had two daughters whom he was excited to get to see later this month.

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She described the experience as “really disheartening and unsettling,” adding that she and her family had many questions about what would happen to the employees and how they would get home.

The Independent has contacted Customs and Border Protection and Disney Cruises for more information.

Mehta was joined at Tuesday’s news conference by representatives of several migrants rights groups who claim crewmembers aboard another cruise ship were detained on April 25, two days after the incident on the Disney ship.

The activists said four “seafarers” working aboard Holland America’s MV Zandaam were taken during that ICE raid.

“This is not an isolated incident,” said Benjamin Prado, from Union del Barrio. “In fact, it has become a growing pattern, not only here in San Diego, but throughout this country.”

Prado said it was “our responsibility as a society” to denounce these “abductions.” He and other groups present during the news conference were calling for more transparency from federal agents. They are also asking cruise lines to do more to protect their workers.

A spokesperson for the Port of San Diego told NBC 7: “The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department did not have any involvement in the reported enforcement actions on April 23 or April 25 at the B Street Cruise Terminal. We did not receive any calls for service related to these incidents. In accordance with California law, including SB 54, Harbor Police does not participate in immigration enforcement activities.”

“The B Street Cruise Terminal is a federal port of entry, where law enforcement authority for immigration and customs matters rests with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP),” the statement continued.

“As such, any enforcement actions taken onboard vessels or within the federal inspection area fall under CBP’s jurisdiction.”

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