Luis Manuel Aviles, a 48-year-old handyman from Key West, Florida, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents Saturday while leaving his home to take his car to a mechanic, according to his wife, as his son continues serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.
Aviles, who is originally from Nicaragua and has lived in the United States for 19 years, has a permit to work in the country, his wife, Argelia Aviles, said, adding that he has spent his time working to support the family and care for his children.
The arrest came as the family was already enduring a lengthy separation from Joshua Aviles, an active-duty Navy sailor who has spent roughly nine months deployed aboard the USS Lincoln during an unusually prolonged mission that has drawn attention to the strain placed on the ship and its crew.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Border Patrol agents arrested Luis Aviles in Key West and said he would remain in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement while federal authorities pursue his deportation.
DHS said military family connections do not exempt individuals from immigration laws, arguing that having a relative serving in the armed forces does not provide immunity from enforcement and that the administration is committed to applying immigration laws broadly.
The case comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration, which has reduced certain protections available to military families while federal authorities have detained parents and spouses of active-duty service members.
An Associated Press review found that at least six relatives of military personnel have been deported and another family member voluntarily left the United States, although the federal government does not maintain a comprehensive record of such cases.
One immigration protection promoted for military families is known as military parole-in-place, which can allow certain spouses, parents and children of active-duty service members and veterans to seek lawful immigration status while remaining in the United States, although eligibility is limited and does not apply in every immigration circumstance.
Joshua Aviles has described the emotional impact of learning about his father's detention while continuing demanding duties aboard the carrier, saying in a Facebook post that he had been working 12-hour shifts for more than 250 days without a break.
The USS Lincoln's extended deployment has generated concerns about prolonged time at sea, food supplies and the physical and mental strain affecting sailors, while the vessel has also faced scrutiny over the condition of its crew and equipment.
The Pentagon directed questions concerning the ship and its deployment to the Navy, which had not immediately responded to requests for comment, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has previously rejected criticism of conditions aboard the carrier as inaccurate.
Joshua said he was still aboard the Lincoln and serving the United States when he received the news that his father had been detained, describing the development as deeply painful while questioning how he could continue working extended shifts under those circumstances.
His sister, Katherine Delgado, said Joshua joined the military partly because he believed his service could help improve his father's prospects for obtaining citizenship and allow their family to live without the constant fear of an immigration arrest.
The family's separation has been especially difficult because Joshua's deployment was expected to end after months away from home, while his father had been looking forward to finally seeing his son after nearly nine months apart.
Delgado said Joshua is expected to return home soon as the Lincoln's current mission in the Middle East approaches its conclusion, but she fears he will arrive without the reunion his family had been anticipating.
For Luis Aviles, the prospect of seeing his son again had become an important source of hope during the prolonged deployment, according to his wife, who said he had been excited about finally embracing Joshua after months of waiting.
Instead, the family now faces an uncertain reunion as Luis Aviles remains in federal immigration custody and authorities move forward with efforts to remove him from the United States.