(boaters speaking foreign language) - [Narrator] Two dozen Filipino fishermen spent three months stuck in the marina of Westport, Washington late last year, allegedly awaiting thousands in owed wages and unable to tend to urgent family matters.

Without visas, they could not legally leave their docked boats, and some say requests to leave were rejected or delayed weeks.

Their employer, the California-based company McAdam's Fish denied those allegations, saying crew members may return home at any time.

As he and his fellow fishermen left the Philippines, Norberto Cabrela received the news that his wife was pregnant with their second child.

But months later, while stuck on a boat in Westport, he learned that there were complications with the pregnancy.

- Sir, I want to ask permission if I can go home.

My wife will give birth in an emergency.

There will be no one to watch over our little child.

- [Narrator] Cabrela wasn't alone in wanting to go home to take care of family.

Mickel Mendez's sister and mother-in-law both ended up in the hospital while he was in Westport.

He said they needed his financial help, but he couldn't because he didn't have the wages he was told he would earn.

(Mickel speaking foreign language) Neither Cabrela or Mendez were sent home when they asked.

Cabrela received a text response from the company's owner saying it was very difficult to send people home at this time.

An attorney from McAdam's said they arranged to get Cabrela home, but the offer came weeks later and after his baby had already been born.

Most of the stranded fishermen went back to the Philippines in late December.

But for Mendez, the option for him to go home came too late.

(Mickel speaking foreign language) - So really, the fundamental problem here is that if you're a fisherman and you stay on board your ship, you're not required to have a visa and you can just be trapped on board.

It just blows my mind that this is allowed to happen.

You have an employee who is trapped in his work environment and is physically not allowed to leave.

(Reynar speaking foreign language) It's like this childhood game.

The floor is lava.

If you touch the floor, you get a $5,000 fine, you're shipped back to your country without receiving all your full wages.

- [Narrator] Labor experts say that people are recruited with the promise of making more money abroad than they could at home, but the lack of visa leaves foreign workers dependent on their employer for travel and basic needs.

In a 2021 report to Congress, a Department of Justice Task Force noted that foreign fishing workers are in a uniquely unprotected position.

That's partly because of the lack of visa, but also in part because they don't have the same labor protections that workers in the US are granted, including minimum wage.

(Reynar speaking foreign language) McAdam's responded to the allegations with a press release on February 14th saying, "It's difficult to be stuck on board between fishing seasons, but the crew members know that there will be times like these when they sign their annual contracts."

The press release also mentions that the fishermen can leave for home at any time and are paid on par with international maritime wage standards.

The company's attorney said in an interview that workers could go home with good reason, which is up to the discretion of the company.

The attorney also said that any delay in payment was because of a third-party contractor.

Documents from both the fishermen and the company indicate that the men were paid just a fraction of their wages by the time they disembarked after their three month wait.

In late December, Homeland Security agents boarded the boats and initiated an investigation.

Most of the two dozen fishermen went home after authorities arrived, but six men decided to stay to voice their concerns against McAdam's.

- I mean, these guys were brave.

They had no idea what was gonna happen when these vessels were raided by the US authorities.

- [Narrator] As for Cabrela, he has yet to meet his youngest child, who is now three months old.

(Norberto speaking foreign language)