The father of a US sailor on board the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East during the Iran war has been taken into federal immigration detention, the sailor said. This was reported by infohub.kz.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Sunday that Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, was arrested during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida. His son, Joshua Aviles, posted on social media: "I've been deployed for over nine months, out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything. I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE."
Aviles said his father had his driver's license, social security card, and work permit. "We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting. This is heartbreaking for me. I don't know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal," he said.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that Luis Manuel Aviles Roa entered the US illegally and would remain in immigration and customs enforcement detention pending removal proceedings. "Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation's laws," the DHS added.
Rights groups say the immigration crackdown under Donald Trump has violated free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities, who have raised concerns about racial profiling.
The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, did not make a port call in more than 200 days. That set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers who called for answers after sailors' families raised concerns about poor living conditions and morale on board. The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East last week, where it is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln.