ICE arrests Disney cruise workers fresh off the boat in San Diego

Federal immigration authorities arrested multiple Disney cruise ship employees while the boat was docked in San Diego, with passengers watching the incident unfold as workers were handcuffed and taken into custody.

One passenger, Dharmi Mehta, recorded video of the incident and said one of those detained had served her while on the trip. “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, according to the New York Post. 

Mehta described federal agents escorting the detained workers into a van after removing them from the ship. Ten workers were reportedly taken into custody from the Disney cruise ship, with an additional four workers detained from another ship the following day.

The arrests resulted in backlash from immigration groups. Benjamin Prado from Union del Barrio claimed it was indicative of a “growing pattern, not only here in San Diego but throughout this country.”

“It is our responsibility as a society, as working people, to really denounce these actions by Customs and Border Protection, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the prolonged detention of migrant workers, whether it be here in our own community as well as those that work on ships,” Prado claimed.

A maritime attorney, however, told ABC 10 news that federal authorities “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,” said attorney Michael Winkleman.

A spokesperson for the Port of San Diego said that local police were not involved in the arrest, telling NBC San Diego, “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.”