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A cruise planned as a milestone birthday celebration quickly turned into a frightening and disorienting experience for a U.S. military veteran, unfolding before sunrise while the ship was still docked.
Birthday Cruise Takes a Shocking Turn in Miami
Jose Martinez, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, says his 50th birthday cruise ended with him being wrongfully detained by border agents after the ship docked in Miami on Monday, January 5.
Martinez had been celebrating both his own birthday and a friend’s alongside his wife, Tamara Verhas.
According to multiple local outlets, the trip had been smooth and uneventful — until the ship arrived back in port.
That’s when, Martinez says, everything changed.
“Flashlights in Our Faces” Before Sunrise
Image Credit: Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty
Martinez told reporters that three armed agents entered his cabin before sunrise, waking him and his wife abruptly.
He described a chaotic scene:
- Agents shining flashlights directly into their faces
- Officers yelling his name and issuing rapid commands
- Being pulled from bed and pressed against the wall
- Immediately placed in handcuffs
Martinez said he was given little explanation as to why this was happening.
Detained in a Shipboard Holding Cell
After being removed from his cabin, Martinez says he was taken to a holding cell onboard the ship, where he was detained for approximately 90 minutes.
During that time, he says he:
- Asked to show identification
- Explained that he was a U.S. citizen
- Told agents about his service in the U.S. Coast Guard
Despite this, Martinez says the detention continued while agents questioned him further.
Fingerprinted — Then Released
According to Martinez, agents eventually:
- Took his fingerprints
- Asked additional questions
- Then, they informed him they had detained the wrong person
He says he was released without any apology.
Martinez believes the incident stemmed from mistaken identity tied to his name.
“From what I understand, all of this was based off my first and last name — a very common Hispanic name,” he said.
“They thought I was someone who had warrants for drug trafficking or some sort of offender.”
Wife Says Her Phone Was Taken During the Incident
Martinez’s wife, Tamara Verhas, said she attempted to record the incident as agents took her husband away.
According to her account:
- A female agent took her phone
- The device was returned later
- The video she had attempted to record was deleted
Verhas said the experience left her shaken and angry.
“The people who are supposed to keep you safe violated us,” she said. “That’s a hard thing to live with.”
“It Was Traumatizing.”
Martinez described the experience as deeply unsettling and something he wouldn’t wish on anyone.
“It was disorienting, traumatizing, and I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody,” he said.
He also expressed broader concern about what the incident represents.
“The fact that what happened to me shows this could happen to anybody,” Martinez explained.
“There are so many other people out there this is happening to — maybe not on a cruise ship, but in the streets or in their homes. It’s unnecessary. It’s dehumanizing.”
Agencies and Cruise Lines Respond
Image Credit: FlickrVision/Getty
At the time of reporting, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had not responded to requests for comment about the incident.
A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that federal authorities were involved but declined to provide details:
“We are aware that U.S. Customs and Border Protection took a guest into custody as a person of interest. As this is a law-enforcement matter, we defer all further questions to the appropriate authorities.”
A Celebration No One Will Forget — for the Wrong Reasons
For Martinez, what was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime birthday celebration turned into an ordeal he says still weighs on him.
The incident has sparked renewed conversation about mistaken identity, border enforcement practices, and how quickly routine procedures can escalate — even for U.S. citizens and military veterans.
As Martinez put it, the most unsettling part isn’t just what happened to him — but how easily it could happen to someone else.
