Sailor’s Father Detained by ICE While USS Abraham Lincoln Sets Record Deployment

On August 22, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan-born handyman living in Key West, Florida, during a routine vehicle stop. He was taken into ICE custody pending removal proceedings. His son, Sailor Joshua Aviles, learned of the arrest while serving his ninth month aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.

MEAWWNBC NewsUS Navy Sailor Decries ICE Detention of Father Amid Record Middle East Deployment

The detention occurred amid intensified immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has rescinded prior limits on ICE arrests of military families. Rights groups say the crackdown disproportionately affects ethnic minorities and raises due-process concerns. At the same time, the Lincoln completed a historic deployment, remaining at sea for more than 200 consecutive days—the longest stretch for a U.S. carrier.

Reuters

• August 22, 2026 – Border Patrol arrests Luis Manuel Aviles Roa in Key West.

MEAWW

• August 23, 2026 – Reuters reports the detention and cites statements from the Department of Homeland Security.

He was waiting for his son to return from the USS Lincoln. Then Border Patrol arrested him.

• The carrier’s crew of roughly 5,000 endured over 200 days without a port call, setting a modern-day naval record.

US Navy Sailor Decries ICE Detention of Father Amid Record Middle East Deployment

• An AP investigation found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members have been detained during the second Trump term.

He was waiting for his son to return from the USS Lincoln. Then Border Patrol arrested him.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described public reports about conditions aboard the Lincoln as “completely misrepresented,” noting the Navy had not commented on the specific detention.

NBC News

Democratic lawmakers warned the enforcement actions create a chilling effect on service members and their families, potentially deterring them from accessing base services.

‘This is heartbreaking’: USS Abraham Lincoln sailor says he is struggling to work 12-hour days after father detained by ICE

• “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,” — Joshua Aviles

The Hill

• “We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting.” — Joshua Aviles

The Guardian

These quotations illustrate the personal anguish of Joshua Aviles and the broader impact on military families.

He was waiting for his son to return from the USS Lincoln. Then Border Patrol arrested him.