ICE agents wrongly detain veteran aboard cruise ship

[PA Democrat]

Jose “Joey” Martinez, a Phoenix resident and U.S. citizen, was taken into custody in the early hours of January 5, 2026, while his Caribbean cruise was docked in Miami, just hours before passengers were scheduled to disembark. According to Cruise Hive, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered Martinez’ cabin around 6:45 a.m., while the couple was still asleep. He was handcuffed and swiftly removed from the ship for questioning.


“[The door] burst open. Three men came in with flashlights, shining them in our faces and giving us commands. They ordered me out of bed and put me against the wall and handcuffed me. I had no idea what was going on. I was asking what this was about; it was a flurry of just confusion,” Martinez told Phoenix’ 12News.

“We were both half-dressed. I started filming, and that's when they called a female agent in because they realized I wasn't dressed,” his wife, Tamara Verhas, told journalists. “She saw me filming and jumped on top of me to get my phone. I pushed her away, and she jumped on me again and snatched it from my hand.”

Martinez, who served seven years in the U.S. Coast Guard, was taken to a holding cell at the port for roughly 90 minutes while agents worked to verify his identity, Arizona’s ABC15 reported. Martinez explained to reporters that he repeatedly offered to provide proof of his citizenship and military service.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/ice-agents-wrongly-detain-veteran-aboard-cruise-ship/ar-AA1U0Wlr?ocid=msedgntp&pc=LCTS&cvid=6963e05959314039a5d114f3012b8ad4&ei=44

The couple received no apology for the trauma inflicted on the couple. Mr. Martinez later in the article made some strong statements condemning the actions of the border control agents, acknowledging that it is happening to many other people and called their actions "dehumanizing."

It sounds like the agents were lazy and sloppy in their research before breaking into the couples cabin in their zeal to round up and deport an undocumented immigrant.

[Attilatheblond]

1. Unqualified, unbalanced, untrained, unsupervised idiots with guns trying to meet quotas & score bonuses

What could possibly go wrong err, right?

[tanyev]

2. Because there certainly couldn't be another Jose Martinez out there.

They are detaining first and verifying later. Often much later.

[MIButterfly]

3. WTAF?

Why? What the hell is going on? This kind of thing has nothing to do with keeping our borders safe. To the MAGAts I say wake up and smell the damn coffee, people! We're all in danger. Don't think for 30 seconds this could never happen to you.

This has gotten completely out of hand. Who's going to stop this? I have no answers; I only have disgust and sadness and fear.

[Ms. Toad]

4. Guess I won't be cruising with Carnival cruise anytime soon. n/t

[MIButterfly]

5. I heard that.

What a tepid response by Carnival.

[Ms. Toad]

6. I want to know why they let them board in the first place. n/t

[MIButterfly]

7. Me too. I don't know for a fact, but I'd bet money they didn't have a warrant.

But then again, they were masked goons with guns who are more than willing to shoot first and ask questions later.

[kimbutgar]

8. So our cruise industry and international tourism is going

to be destroyed in this Reich wing ice gestapo environment also?

[popsdenver]

11. It already has..............

International Tourism and Canadian Tourism is reportedly off 50% and growing,,,,,,,,,,DeSantis is freaking out.........
Las Vegas looks like a ghost town...........not to worry, Hoover dam, which generates all the electricity for Vegas, may have to turn off their generators due to lack of water from the Colorado River. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Southern California are gonna be in a world of hurt this year if the drought in Colorado continues......we are currently running at 50% of normal snow pack, which provides the water for the Colorado River.......

The U.S. is really feeling the effects of Trumps Tariff's......Kentucky whiskey plants are closing, Boeing is frightened, as most of the many types of Aluminum they use are ENTIRELY manufactured in Canada, and we have no U.S. Aluminum plants......Airbus is buying all the Aluminum usually destined for Boeing.......

This is probably not going un-noticed by the Republican Politicians and Republican Party.......but they have created a Frankenstein's Monster, and now have no way of controlling him or his CABAL.......The Dems Politicians should be pointing this out daily to the citizens........

[kimbutgar]

16. In our local paper they said all of our reservoirs are filled in California to capacity.

So at least we will have water for energy generation in Southern California.

But the 🍊💩🐖 needs to face consequences for his attentions. When it starts to hurt red states even more it will be interesting how it plays out. And wait until other countries start denying entry to American tourists in their country.

[popsdenver]

17. Doesn't help

when it gets to July, August, September, etc.

Esp in Southern California, where they get a large amount of their water from the Colorado River........

Most interesting is that they don't limit all the backyard swimming pools in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and So Cal, and ALL the tremendous amounts of Golf Courses that need watering in those areas.I think Phoenix has 39 golf courses/????????

We have been rationing for fifteen years here in Colorado where the water is originating................

Last year Phoenix? Mayor, in august and September asked Colorado to send MORE water......LOL I guess he figured that somehow we just "Manufactured" water and were holding back??????????????

The developers just keep building and building, these areas needs are increasing, the water supply is decreasing, but they don't care????

[kimbutgar]

18. I see what you mean

I go out to Arizona at least twice a year to visit my other in law and I see all the new building going in and wonder where are they getting the water? Though they did have a big storm recently but it probably wasn’t enough to supply water for the new development's.

[dalton99a]

9. Kick

[Coventina]

12. Another reason why I will never take a cruise!

If this is how they "care" for their passengers!

[bigtree]

13. can't take cruises now

...without being harrassed by government thugs with impunity to kill you.


“From what I understand, all of this was based off my first and last name, a very common Hispanic name. They thought I was someone who had warrants for drug trafficking or some sort of offender,” Martinez said.

[Bev54]

14. I suspect someone on the cruise ship targeted them and called ICE

A Canadian had a similar incident, although they arrested him when he got off the ship. He had booked 2 different cruises and was getting off one ship to the other. Had no intentions of staying in the US at all, but for this few hours to change from one to the other. He said that one of the staff from the cruise lines came and escorted him off the ship and into the arms of ICE. The only way they would have gotten his information was through the cruise lines themselves. He was only held for a few hours but it shook him up. He still has no idea why.

[North Coast Lawyer]

15. Sorry, wrong Jose Martinez

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. Who'd have guessed there's more than one Jose Martinez in the USA??? (nt)