Father of USS Abraham Lincoln Sailor Detained by DHS

KEY WEST, Fla. — When Luis Manuel Aviles was arrested by immigration authorities, his son was entering his ninth month on the USS Abraham Lincoln — a vessel that set a U.S. military record for uninterrupted time at sea, stirring concerns about supply shortages and deteriorating mental health among sailors.

Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested after leaving his house to take his car to the mechanic, according to his wife, Argelia. A handyman originally from Nicaragua, he has lived in the U.S. for 19 years and has a permit to work in the country.

His son, Navy sailor Joshua Aviles, said his father had his driver's license, Social Security card, and work permit, and that the family had been going through the immigration process to get his green card approved.

"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," Joshua wrote on Facebook. "I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE. 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."

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Border Patrol arrested Aviles during a traffic stop in Key West, saying he entered the U.S. illegally and would remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. "Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation's laws," DHS said.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has since left the Middle East and is now heading back to the West Coast, a journey that could take several weeks.