Immigration officials detain father of sailor serving on USS Abraham Lincoln

Luis Manuel Aviles, a 20-year U.S. resident originally from Nicaragua, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol during a traffic stop in Key West, Florida, on Saturday morning, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The agency said Aviles entered the country illegally at an unknown date and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Aviles’ stepdaughter, Katty Delgado, told NBC News that she is unaware of any criminal record or pending charges against him and described him as “doing everything the right way.” She learned of the detention from family members, including Aviles’ wife and his son, Joshua Aviles, who posted about the incident on Facebook.

Joshua Aviles, a sailor on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, wrote that he has been deployed for more than nine months in the Middle East and expressed concern for his father’s situation. He noted that his father holds a work permit, a Social Security card and a driver’s license.

A DHS spokesperson said the agency is “simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress” and emphasized that having a family member in the military does not provide immunity from immigration enforcement.

The Lincoln, which left San Diego on Nov. 25, has completed its deployment in the Middle East and is en route to the West Coast, a voyage expected to take several weeks.

The detention adds to reports of increased ICE actions affecting spouses and parents of service members during the current administration, a trend highlighted in recent investigations.