Mark Lenard Petras arrived at the Port of Long Beach after five months at sea. The 27-year-old from Dagupan expressed his dream of immigrating to the United States with his family while fearing deportation by ICE agents.
Petras holds a C1/D visa valid for 10 years. He works as a third engineer on the Singapore-flagged Ever Mach for Manila-based Cargo Safeway Inc. and earns $5,400 a month.
He recalled stepping on US soil for the first time in May 2022 at the Port of Los Angeles. Petras recently bought his wife a 2025 Fortuner and noted that she is attending nursing school to prepare for possible immigration.
Some Filipino seafarers were deported last year by ICE agents on alleged immigration violations. Petras said he follows the law and expects no trouble during his visits.
