The immigrant father of a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln was detained by immigration officials, family members reported. Luis Manuel Aviles, originally from Nicaragua, faced detention around 11 a.m. ET in Key West, Florida, where he resides, according to his stepdaughter Katty Delgado.
Delgado shared that Aviles has lived in the U.S. for approximately 20 years, with no known arrest history or criminal charges. “He’s doing everything the right way,” she expressed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Sunday that the Border Patrol apprehended Aviles during a traffic stop in Key West. They revealed Aviles entered the U.S. illegally at an unspecified date and location and will remain in ICE custody awaiting removal proceedings.
“We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress. This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce,” a DHS spokesperson stated.
Delgado indicated she learned about the detention from family, including Aviles’ wife and son Joshua Aviles, who shared the incident on Facebook. Her stepfather, Delgado mentioned, was detained near a Publix supermarket while en route to a mechanic.
Joshua Aviles is aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is returning to the U.S. after extensive deployment, including engagements in the Middle East. “I’ve been deployed for over nine months, out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything,” he wrote.
He described his father as hardworking, generous, and humble, possessing a work permit, a Social Security card, and a driver’s license. “This is heartbreaking for me,” Joshua Aviles shared. “I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal.”
When asked if Aviles had a Social Security number, work permit, or pending immigration cases, DHS told Telemundo that “work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.” The Lincoln departed San Diego on Nov. 25, setting Navy records for time without a port call due to reports of deteriorating conditions and morale. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refuted claims about the situation on board.
The Navy announced that the Lincoln has left the Middle East heading to the West Coast, which may take over a month. Joshua Aviles, with limited internet access, expressed efforts to release his father from detention. “I love you with all my heart. Please stay strong. I’m coming home, Dad,” he wrote.
President Donald Trump has affirmed his administration’s immigration policies, including ICE’s expanded enforcement and arrests targeting family members of service personnel. More than 50 parents and spouses of service members have been detained during Trump’s tenure.
The detentions have sparked backlash, given that military programs can occasionally offer family protection from deportation. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website notes these options are discretionary, evaluated “case-by-case.” It remains uncertain if Aviles was part of such a program.
A DHS spokesperson emphasized, “having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws.” Delgado regretted that her stepbrother has endured nine months at sea without family contact, and shared her sorrow that “this is what his father gets.”