US Sailor's Dad Detained by DHS While Son Serves Overseas
US Sailor's Dad Detained by DHS While Son Serves Overseas
Heartbreak for a US Navy sailor deployed abroad: his father, awaiting green card approval, was detained by immigration in Key West. A family's plea for justice ignites debate on immigration and service.
A U.S. Navy sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East is facing unimaginable anguish after his father was taken into federal immigration custody in Key West, Florida. Joshua Aviles, who has been deployed for over nine months, shared his heartbreak online after learning that his father, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, was apprehended by U.S.
Border Patrol.
Aviles Roa was detained during a vehicle stop, despite reportedly possessing a driver's license, Social Security card, and employment authorization.
His son, Joshua, revealed that the family had been diligently working through immigration processes to secure his father's green card and were simply awaiting approval.
This sudden detention has left the sailor questioning how he can "mentally continue working 12+ hour days" knowing his father is in custody, "possibly being treated like a criminal."
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the detention, stating that Aviles Roa entered the U.S. unlawfully and will remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal proceedings. A DHS spokesperson clarified the agency's stance, asserting that "
Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws,
" signaling a strict enforcement approach.
Joshua Aviles' poignant message, "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," underscores the profound irony and emotional distress this situation has caused. The incident brings to light the complex and often deeply personal impact of immigration policies, especially on families with members serving in the U.S. military.
