Navy Father Detained by Border Patrol While Son Serves Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

Luis Manuel Aviles, a 48-year-old handyman in Key West, Florida, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents Saturday after leaving his residence to drop off his car for repairs. His wife, Argelia Aviles, confirmed he possesses authorization to work in the United States. The Nicaraguan native has resided in America for 19 years and supports his family through his labor.

At the time of his arrest, Aviles’ son, Joshua, was nine months into his deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Navy vessel that recently set a U.S. military record for continuous time at sea. Joshua had been working 12-hour shifts for more than 250 days without break while the carrier operated in the Middle East, raising concerns among naval officials about crew morale and supply chain sustainability.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Aviles remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody pending deportation proceedings. Officials defended the arrest, asserting that military family connections do not exempt individuals from immigration law enforcement, and that the administration applies statutes uniformly without exception.

The detention exemplifies a broader pattern under the current administration, with Associated Press reporting identifying at least six family members of active-duty service members who have been deported and one who self-deported. One military spouse spent more than a month in federal detention before being removed from a deportation flight following media scrutiny.

Joshua Aviles posted on Facebook that learning of his father’s arrest while performing his duties “fighting for a country that has given me everything” devastated him emotionally. He expressed anguish about continuing demanding work schedules while uncertain about his father’s treatment and whereabouts.

The military offers “military parole-in-place” benefits allowing spouses, children, and parents of active-duty personnel to obtain legal status without departing the country, though eligibility excludes those with visa overstays or prior border applications. Joshua’s sister, Katherine Delgado, said her brother enlisted partly believing it would improve their father’s path to citizenship and reduce his vulnerability to arrest.