A north Phoenix couple were detained by ICE agents for about 90 minutes on Monday morning before disembarking a Carnival cruise ship docked in south Miami that had returned from a nine-day trip to the southern Caribbean.
Tammy Verhas said Monday her room was entered about 6:45 a.m. by three Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who grabbed and cuffed her husband, Jose Martinez, and detained him in a detention facility. Both are U.S. citizens.
“We were in bed asleep and all of a sudden flashlights were going all over the place and three men came in and grabbed Jose,” Verhas said. “I was trying to film the whole thing, and they brought in a woman to try and keep me from filming, but I was able to shove her off of me.”
Carnival Cruises declined to comment on the incident citing a policy regarding individual guests, and officials with ICE in the Phoenix area were checking on the incident with counterparts in Miami.
While at the detention facility, Martinez was told has his name had come up with warrants for being a violent offender. It was later found that the Martinez they were looking for was not him, and he was released from the detention center and reunited with Verhas off ship by cruise security.
“They gave me no reason, and that name association was their justification,” Martinez said. “I gave all my documented information to Carnival. I should have known before getting on the ship that my name would have been flagged for any issues.
“I was treated like a criminal right from the start,” Martinez added. “I have never been in this type of situation before. I was traumatized.”
Verhas had her phone taken away for a time because of the video she had taken of the incident. ICE told her she would only receive her phone back if she deleted the video she had taken. Verhas complied and her phone was returned to her.
“I was told ‘This is how we do it.’” Verhas said. “I was traumatized by the whole situation.”
Verhas said there have been issues in the past with her husband’s name being flagged.
“This isn’t the first time we have had issues with being stopped,” Verhas said. “We’ve been pulled out of line a number of times with TSA, and all those times we have complied without any issues.”
Verhas and Martinez are not sure what steps they will take next.
“We’re not sure if we are pursuing litigation,” Martinez said. “I’m still coming down from the shock.
“We’re reaching out to Carnival corporate to see what can be done,” Martinez added.
“We’ll pursue whatever recourse is needed,” Verhas said.
Jeff Wendt
Reporter | Phoenix/Cave Creek
Meet Jeff
Jeff Wendt started at Independent Newsmedia in January 2023, after 25 years working for Gannett and The Arizona Republic. Started as a high school sports scoretaker, worked up to reporting high school sports and then became an associate high school sports editor in 2002. Also worked in the Design Studio as a copy editor.
Community: Jeff serves on the Board of Elders at his local church.
Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication
Random fact: Attended Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.
Hobbies: Playing video games (yes still the kid in me), watching reality TV, playing poker.