The Philippine Embassy in Washington said on Wednesday that it has opened talks with US authorities following reports of several Filipino seafarers being denied entry at American ports in recent months.

In a statement, the Embassy said it has coordinated with the US Department of State and Department of Homeland Security on the reported re-entry denial. It noted that the denials were made “in accordance with existing US laws, regulations, and policies.”

The Embassy said it will continue to engage with concerned agencies to ensure mandatory consular notification is observed.

It also added that assistance concerning the affected seafarers particularly in seeking new employment falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Migrant Workers.

“On the issue of assistance to be provided to the affected seafarers in terms of finding new employment, the Embassy notes that this matter is under the purview of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which is mandated to provide assistance to overseas Filipino workers,” the statement read.

The DMW has yet to issue a response as of press time.

In August, about 21 Filipino seafarers from a Carnival Cruise Line Ship were reportedly deported after the US Customs and Border Protection alleged that the Filipinos had child pornography materials on their devices.