According to NBC News, reported on August 24 local time, a sailor with an immigrant father who served on the troubled aircraft carrier 'Abraham Lincoln' was anxiously waiting for his son's return. However, he was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the weekend.
According to three family members, Luis Manuel Avilés was detained on the way to a repair shop near a Publix supermarket in Key West, Florida, late in the evening of the 22nd.
A naval officer confirmed that their son, Joshua Avilés, is a naval soldier responsible for the deployment of carrier-based aircraft. He is currently serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The 25-year-old has been deployed on this aircraft carrier for nine months.
Luis Manuel Avilés and his son Joshua Avilés, NBC News
Aviles' wife said that the father was 'very happy, counting the days and weeks every day, looking forward to his son's return so he could hold him in his arms. And then, this happened.'
According to Luisito Aviles, the younger son of Aviles, and his stepdaughter Katie Delgado, Aviles is originally from Nicaragua. He lived in the United States for 20 years, mainly working as a handyman in hotels in Key West, while also taking on several other jobs to support his family.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on the 23rd that the Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Avila during a traffic inspection in Key West. The agency stated that he entered the United States illegally on an unknown date and at an unknown location, and will be detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pending removal procedures.
"We are simply carrying out the laws passed by Congress. This government has no discretion over which laws we will enforce and which ones we will not." said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Land and Resources Security.
Katy Delgado told NBC News on the evening of the 22nd that she had no knowledge of any arrest records or criminal charges against Luis Manuel Avilés.
Katie Delgado said she learned about this news from her family, including Aviles’ wife and his son Joshua Aviles, who posted a message about the detention incident on Facebook.
Joshua Avilés wrote on Facebook on the 22nd: "I have been deployed on the Abraham Lincoln for over nine months, fighting in the Middle East waters for this country that has given me everything."
He said his father was hardworking, generous, and humble, and also had a work permit, a social security card, and a driving license.
"This shattered my heart," said Chloe Shuya Avilés. "I don't know how I can continue working 12+ hours a day after finding out that my father might be treated as a criminal suspect somewhere."
This aircraft carrier, carrying approximately 5,000 officers and soldiers, left San Diego in November 2025. Its originally scheduled seven-month deployment was extended multiple times due to the situation in the Middle East. The ship operated at sea for over 200 days, setting a record for modern U.S. aircraft carriers without any port landings. Problems such as food shortages, contaminated drinking water, malfunctioning toilets, limited communications, and low morale among the crew’s families were revealed over time. There were even incidents of sailors falling into the water and mental health crises, which sparked questions from American public opinion and Congress members. The Pentagon claimed that these claims were “completely distorted.”
In April, USA Today first reported photos of meal plates provided by the crew members' families.
The U.S. Navy stated on the 22nd that the USS Lincoln has officially left the Middle East and is heading towards the West Coast. This voyage may take one month or more.
Joshua Avilés told NBC News that his internet access was restricted. He wrote on Facebook that he is doing everything possible to free his father.
"I love you with all of my heart. Please be strong. I'm going home," he wrote.
According to a recent survey by the Associated Press, during Trump’s second term in office, the Immigration Department has detained more than 50 military personnel’s parents and spouses. These detentions have been opposed, despite there being special programs designed to provide protection against deportation for military family members.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website, these 'opt-in' services are provided on a 'case-by-case basis'.
It is not clear whether Luis Manuel Avilés is within the scope of this project.
"Family members serving in the military are not a free pass to violate national law, as stated by a spokesperson for the Ministry of Land and Resources Security on March 23rd during a statement."
"Conscription rights will not automatically be granted to relatives by blood in a way that allows for release on parole, legal status, or exemption from immigration law."
Katy Delgado lamented that her stepbrother had spent nine months at sea, unable to see his family, “and this is what his father received in return.”
