Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, the father of a sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, was released by immigration authorities on Tuesday. His release came days after his son, Joshua Aviles, publicly detailed the ordeal on Facebook.
The Aviles family announced the release on Joshua Aviles' Facebook page, stating, "Luis has been released back to our family. We are grateful for all of the support for both Luis and Josh throughout this situation." The family requested privacy as they await the sailor's return.
Joshua Aviles, a sailor deployed in a war zone, had posted on Saturday that his father was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to the post, his father possessed a driver's license, Social Security card, and work permit, and the family had been working through the immigration system for a green card.
"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. My dad’s only 'crime' was coming to this country to give my siblings and me a better life," Joshua Aviles wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, described as an illegal alien from Nicaragua, on August 22 after a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida. DHS indicated he entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location and would remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
A DHS spokesperson said that having a family member in the military does not grant immunity from immigration enforcement. "We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress. This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce," the spokesperson added.
Aviles' situation highlighted cases of active-duty military members whose family members have been detained by immigration agents.