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ICE Arrested the Father of a USS Abraham Lincoln Crew Member After Controversy Over Onboard Crisis
🇦🇷 Argentina /Crime & Justice

ICE Arrested the Father of a USS Abraham Lincoln Crew Member After Controversy Over Onboard Crisis

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The father of a U.S. Navy sailor serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln was arrested by ICE in Key West, Florida.
  • The sailor expressed heartbreak, stating his father, who has work permits and is awaiting a green card, is being treated like a criminal.
  • The arrest occurs amid a broader Trump administration policy to deport parents and spouses of active-duty military members.

The father of a U.S. Navy sailor deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Key West, Florida. Luis Manuel Avilés Roa, 48, originally from Nicaragua, was detained after leaving his home to take his car for repairs.

I have been deployed for more than nine months, at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything, and I just received a call: my father has been detained by ICE.

— Joshua AvilésThe sailor expressed his shock and heartbreak over his father's arrest.

His son, Joshua Avilés, shared his distress on social media, revealing that his father has a driver's license, Social Security card, and work permit, and is in the process of obtaining a green card. "I have been deployed for more than nine months... fighting for a country that has given me everything, and I just received a call: my father has been detained by ICE," the sailor wrote. He added, "This breaks my heart. I don't know how I'm going to keep working 12-hour shifts knowing my father is somewhere being treated like a criminal."

This breaks my heart. I don't know how I'm going to keep working 12-hour shifts knowing my father is somewhere being treated like a criminal.

— Joshua AvilésThe sailor described the emotional toll of his father's detention.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Avilés Roa entered the U.S. illegally and will remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings. "Having a family member in the armed forces does not give a carte blanche to violate our nation's laws," the department asserted. However, Avilés's wife, Argelia Avilés, 47, stated her husband has lived in the country for 19 years, possesses a work permit, and dedicates himself to working to support their family.

Having a family member in the armed forces does not give a carte blanche to violate our nation's laws.

— Department of Homeland SecurityThe department justified the arrest based on immigration law.

This arrest comes as the Trump administration intensifies its deportation agenda, targeting parents and spouses of U.S. service members. Reports indicate at least dozens of such individuals have been detained, with at least six deported and one self-deporting, according to an Associated Press tally. One benefit promoted by the military is the "parole in place" program, which allows family members of active-duty service members and veterans to obtain legal status within the country, though not all qualify.

He just works to put food on the table at home. He is a good father. He loves his children with all his soul.

— Argelia AvilésThe wife described her husband's character and dedication.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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