The father of a U.S. sailor currently deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been taken into federal immigration detention. Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents shortly after 11 a.m. ET on Saturday in Key West, Florida. According to his stepdaughter, Katty Delgado, the arrest occurred during a vehicle stop near a Publix supermarket while he was en route to a mechanic.
Joshua Aviles on the USS Abraham Lincoln
The sailor, Joshua Aviles, shared the news of his father’s detention in a Facebook post, noting he learned of the incident while serving his ninth month at sea. Joshua Avilesは、自身が9か月以上にわたって中東沖のUSS Abraham Lincolnに乗艦し、すべてを与えてくれたこの国のために戦ってきたが、父親がICEに拘束されたという連絡を受けたと述べた。
Legal immigration system and green card application
Joshua Aviles stated that his father has been working through the legal immigration system to obtain a green card. 彼は、父親のグリーンカード取得に向けて移民局の手続きをすべて済ませており、現在は承認を待つのみの状態であると語った。According to the sailor, his father possessed a driver’s license, a Social Security card, and an employment authorization document. Katty Delgado stated that her stepfather has lived in the U.S. for roughly 20 years and that she has no knowledge of any criminal allegations or arrest history regarding him.
Department of Homeland Security custody and removal proceedings
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a statement on Sunday that Border Patrol officers conducted a vehicle stop in Key West that led to the detention of Luis Manuel Aviles Roa. The agency maintained that the elder Aviles entered the United States illegally at an unknown date and location. The DHS stated that he remains in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pending removal proceedings.
In response to the family’s concerns, a DHS spokesperson stated, 同省は議会が可決した法律を執行しているに過ぎず、現政権はどの法律を執行するかを選り好みすることはないと説明した。The department further addressed the status of the sailor’s father, noting, 軍に家族がいるからといって、国の法を破ることが許されるわけではないと付け加えた。The DHS did not dispute the family’s assertions that Aviles lacks a criminal record.
Joshua Aviles expressed the personal toll the situation has taken on him while serving on the aircraft carrier, which has been supporting U.S. military operations in the war with Iran. Joshua Avilesは、この状況に心を痛めており、父親がどこかで犯罪者扱いされているかもしれないと考えると、1日12時間以上の勤務を精神的に続ける自信がないと吐露した。また彼は、自分の父親を知る人であれば、彼が勤勉で謙虚であり、誰に対しても喜んで手を差し伸べる人物であることを理解してくれるはずだと綴った。
The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had not made a port call in more than 200 days, has been at the center of reports regarding the conditions faced by service members. Rights groups have raised concerns that the current immigration crackdown has created an unsafe environment and violated due process rights, particularly for ethnic minorities who have expressed fears regarding racial profiling. President Donald Trump has stated that the immigration crackdown is intended to improve domestic security.