Father of sailor deployed on USS Abraham Lincoln held by Border Patrol – what we know
- Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan national and the father of an active-duty U.S. Navy sailor, was detained by federal immigration authorities during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida.
- His son, Joshua Aviles, who is currently deployed in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, expressed heartbreak over the arrest, noting the family was awaiting green card approval while his father held work authorization.
- The Department of Homeland Security stated that Aviles Roa entered the country unlawfully and will remain in ICE custody pending removal, emphasizing that military ties do not grant exemption from federal laws.
- President Donald Trump has defended such strict immigration enforcement as vital for domestic security, while civil rights advocates argue these practices undermine due process and heighten racial profiling.
- The incident coincided with the USS Abraham Lincoln leaving the Middle East after more than 200 consecutive days at sea without port access, a deployment duration that previously raised inquiries from Democratic lawmakers.
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