The detention of Luis Manuel Aviles in Key West, Florida, has left the family of his son, Joshua Aviles, who is serving in the Middle East, in a difficult situation. Aviles was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while his son has been serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln for more than nine months.
Family friend Kathy Delgado said Aviles came to the United States from Nicaragua years ago and had lived in the country for nearly 20 years. Delgado said Aviles had never been detained before and had not been charged with any crime.
Joshua Aviles said he learned that his father had been detained through a phone call from an ICE employee. Aviles said his father had a Social Security number and work authorization in the United States, adding that the family was awaiting a decision on their green card application.
Joshua Aviles said he feared his father might be treated like a criminal in some place and expressed concern about how he could continue working more than 12 hours a day under the circumstances.
Department of Homeland Security statement
An unidentified representative of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Aviles was detained by Border Patrol agents while driving a vehicle stopped at a red light.
The representative said Aviles had entered the United States illegally and would remain in ICE custody while deportation proceedings continued. The representative argued that work authorization or a pending application did not constitute legal status in the United States, adding that having a family member serving in the military did not eliminate the obligation to comply with the country's laws.
Return of the USS Abraham Lincoln
After the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln served continuously for approximately 250 days and discussions emerged about the personnel's psychological well-being, the U.S. Department of Defense decided to send the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently on its way back to the United States.
