Key West, Fla. – Immigration officials detained Luis Manuel Aviles on Saturday morning after a routine traffic stop near a Publix supermarket. Aviles, who arrived in the United States illegally from Nicaragua roughly two decades ago, lives in Key West with his wife and children.
Aviles’ stepdaughter, Katty Delgado, told NBC News that the family has no record of any criminal history or pending arrest warrants against him. “He’s doing everything the right way,” Delgado said.
Family ties to the Navy
Aviles’ son, Joshua Aviles, is a sailor on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The carrier has been at sea for more than nine months, completing a deployment to the Middle East before heading back to the West Coast. In a Facebook post, Joshua wrote, “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.” He described his father as hard‑working, giving, and humble, noting that Aviles holds a work permit, a Social Security card and a driver’s license.
Joshua expressed the emotional toll of his father’s detention, saying, “This is heartbreaking for me. I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal.” He added, “I love you with all my heart. Please stay strong. I’m coming home, Dad.”
Government response
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Border Patrol agents arrested Aviles and that he will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. A DHS spokesperson said, “We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress. This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce.” The spokesperson also clarified that having a family member in the military does not grant any automatic immigration relief.
When asked whether Aviles’ work authorization or Social Security number confer legal status, DHS told Telemundo that “work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.”
Broader context
President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended his administration’s immigration crackdown, which includes expanded ICE enforcement. An Associated Press investigation found that more than 50 parents and spouses of service members have been detained during Trump’s second term, despite existing discretionary programs that can sometimes protect immediate family members of military personnel.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website notes that such discretionary options are considered on a case‑by‑case basis, and it was not immediately clear whether Aviles qualifies for any of them.
Impact on the carrier
While the detention of Aviles has drawn attention to the personal sacrifices of service members’ families, the Navy reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln has officially left the Middle East and is en route to the West Coast, a journey that could take a month or more. Relatives of sailors on board have voiced concerns about morale and conditions after an extended period at sea, though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said claims of a crisis are “completely misrepresented.”
The Aviles family hopes the detention will be resolved quickly so that Joshua can focus on his duties without the added worry of his father’s legal status.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
