U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Boston removed 87 foreign cruise ship crewmembers from the United States as part of an ongoing operation against child pornography. Dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave,” the initiative involves multiple law enforcement agencies targeting the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation material among cruise ship crewmembers.
This latest enforcement action against the exploitation of children brings the total number of crewmembers removed by CBP to 87. This follows the most recent enforcement action in late September when officers removed six additional crewmen from the cruise ship Breakaway at the Port of Boston.
According to CBP, on September 20, CBP officers encountered six citizens of the Philippines aboard the cruise ship Breakaway who admitted to previously possessing child sexual abuse/child sexual exploitation material during a secondary interview. Following comprehensive searches of their living quarters and electronic devices, all six were processed for removal under provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act related to crimes involving moral turpitude.
Acting Director of Field Operations Julio Caravia commented on the latest results of the operation, saying, “The success of Operation Tidal Wave reflects the unwavering dedication of our officers and partners to protect the most vulnerable. Let the removal of these 87 be a message to others: we will not accept this exploitation, and CBP will not stop identifying and arresting the individuals who participate in it.”
As reported by Breitbart Texas, in August, CBP officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents arrested eleven alien crewmembers at the Port of Boston during one previous Operation Tidal Wave enforcement action. In that instance, CBP officers and HSI special agents participated in the arrests and traveled to Boston from their home office in Fort Lauderdale.
Eleven foreign crew members were arrested at the port during that phase of the operation that took place between August 14 and August 16, 2026. The eleven crewmembers caught the eye of investigators who were focusing their efforts on battling the reception and disbursement of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). All were removed from the United States.
Other previous phases of Operation Tidal Wave conducted across the United States include Phase 1 in San Diego, conducted in April, which resulted in administrative enforcement actions against 27 crewmembers from six vessels, Phase 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, happened in June and July, leading to the removal of 14 crewmembers and the approval of federal criminal prosecution in one case. In the Boston area, these efforts have been consistent throughout the summer, resulting in the removal of 87 crew members from various vessels since mid-August.
According to CBP, Operation Tidal Wave is an ongoing operation.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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