A U.S. veteran’s 50th birthday cruise celebration ended with him being wrongfully removed and detained by ICE agents.
Jose Martinez, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, said that he had been celebrating his and a friend’s birthday on the cruise alongside his wife Tamara Verhas. Everything went smoothly until the ship docked in Miami on Monday, Jan. 5, according to KOLD, ABC15 and 12News.
Martinez alleged that three armed agents burst into his cabin before sunrise while he was sleeping. He recalled to KOLD that there were “flashlights in our faces, [agents] screaming my name, barking commands, telling me to get out of bed, [and they] put me up against the wall and handcuffed me.”
He said the agents then took him to a holding cell on the ship, where he was detained for about 90 minutes. During this time, he said he asked the agents if he would be able to show proof of his identification and discussed serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, per ABC15.
Martinez said he was questioned some more and fingerprinted before agents finally released him and allegedly told him that they had detained the wrong person, the outlet reported. He further noted that the agents offered him no apology for the mistake.
Veteran Claims ICE Agents Burst into Cabin ‘Screaming,’ Wrongfully Detained Him During Birthday Cruise
