Father of USS Abraham Lincoln sailor released from immigration detention

Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan immigrant and father of deployed U.S. Navy sailor Joshua Aviles, was released from ICE custody on August 25, 2026, after an immigration judge dismissed his case. Aviles Roa had been arrested during an August 22 traffic stop in Key West, Florida, sparking public heartbreak from his son serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Department of Homeland Security initially defended the arrest, stating military ties do not grant immunity from immigration laws.

Luis Manuel Aviles immigration detention

• ▪Luis Manuel Aviles Roa has lived in the United States for approximately 20 years, working primarily as a handyman for hotels in Key West, Florida.
• ▪U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Nicaraguan immigrant Luis Manuel Aviles Roa during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida, on August 22, 2026.

Joshua Aviles USS Abraham Lincoln

• ▪U.S. Navy sailor Joshua Aviles, the son of Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, was deployed in the Middle East aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during his father's arrest.
• ▪The USS Abraham Lincoln left the Middle East on August 22, 2026, after a deployment of over nine months without a port call for more than 200 days.

DHS enforcement policy statement

• ▪The Department of Homeland Security stated that military service by an immediate relative does not automatically grant parole, lawful status, or immunity from immigration enforcement.
• ▪The Department of Homeland Security stated that Luis Manuel Aviles Roa entered the United States illegally and would remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Family immigration documentation status

• ▪Joshua Aviles stated that his father, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, possessed a driver's license, Social Security card, and work permit, and was waiting for green card approval.
• ▪The Department of Homeland Security stated to NBC News and Telemundo that work authorization or a pending application do not confer legal status in the United States.

Public response to detention

• ▪Joshua Aviles went public on Facebook on August 22, 2026, expressing heartbreak and questioning how he could mentally continue working 12-hour days while his father was detained.
• ▪Immigration authorities have detained more than 50 parents and spouses of U.S. service members during Donald Trump's second presidential term, according to an Associated Press investigation.

Release from ICE custody

• ▪Luis Manuel Aviles Roa was released from federal immigration custody and reunited with his family on August 25, 2026.
• ▪An immigration judge dismissed the case against Luis Manuel Aviles Roa on August 24, 2026, hours after he was booked into a Miami immigration detention center.