UPDATE 5/7/2026: U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Disney later confirmed the arrests were part of a child porn sting and were not carried out by ICE or related to immigration status. Our original report remains intact below.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly detained Disney Cruise Line crew members on the Disney Magic, escorting them off the ship in restraints.

ICE Detains Disney Magic Crew Members

Dharmi Mehta witnessed the incident after disembarking from her five-day sailing in San Diego last month. As she and her family left the B Street Pier parking lot, she saw ICE loading the crew members into a white van.

Among the crew members was the head waiter that had served Mehta’s family. She knew he had two daughters that he was looking forward to seeing later this month.

“It was really unsettling,” said Mehta. The crew members were still wearing their Disney Cruise Line costumes (uniforms) and didn’t have any belongings with them.

“So that was just my big concern like how is he gonna reach out to his family? Does the family even know that he’s not getting back on the ship today?” Mehta said.

The incident happened on April 23, the same day Disney Cruise Line and the Port of San Diego announced they had extended their agreement through 2031.

Mehta spoke to reporters at a news conference two weeks later, joined by representatives of migrant rights groups who said four crew members of Holland America’s MV Zandaam were also detained by ICE on April 25.

“This is not an isolated incident. In fact, it has become a growing pattern, not only here in San Diego but throughout this country,” said Benjamin Prado from Union del Barrio, who called the incidents “abductions” and said the detainees were denied due process and access to consular services. “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.”

The groups demand transparency from federal agents and for cruise lines to do more to protect their employees.

NBC San Diego reached out to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for comment but did not receive a response. They were not able to get comments from Disney Cruise Line or Holland America either. They also asked the San Diego Tourism Authority if these reports could dampen enthusiasm about Disney Cruise Line adding five more ships to their fleet and did not receive a response.

The Port of San Diego issued this statement:

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

For questions regarding these specific incidents, including the circumstances of the enforcement actions or the individuals involved, we recommend contacting CBP or the respective cruise lines directly.

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