Navy service member's father held by ICE during nine-month deployment
A U.S. Navy sailor deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln said his father was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sailor, Joshua Aviles, said his father had a work permit and was awaiting a green card. The Department of Homeland Security stated that work authorization does not confer legal status.
Joshua Aviles, a sailor on the USS Abraham Lincoln, learned of his father’s detention during a nine-month deployment supporting operations related to the Iran war. His father, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, was stopped in Key West, Florida, and taken into ICE custody. DHS noted that while Aviles Roa possessed a work permit and was awaiting a green card, such documents do not establish legal residency.
The case follows Democratic lawmakers’ recent letter to Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs secretaries, citing ICE arrests of veterans and family members. They warned that enforcement actions could deter military families from using base services or prompt service members to leave the military, citing legal and morale concerns.
This incident may heighten tension between immigration enforcement and military service, potentially affecting morale among service members with undocumented relatives. Families could face increased anxiety about routine stops, and the case may fuel broader debate over enforcement priorities. It could also influence how military communities perceive federal agencies, though the administration maintains it is applying existing law uniformly.