US Sailor Serving in Middle East Says Father Detained While Awaiting Green Card Decision

A US sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln says he was devastated to learn that his father had been taken into federal immigration custody in Florida while the family awaited a decision on his green-card application.

Joshua Aviles, a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, said he had been deployed for more than nine months when he received a call telling him his father, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, had been detained by US immigration authorities.

The timing has made the case especially painful. While Joshua was at sea working more than 12 hours a day, his father was suddenly facing detention and possible removal.

A Call From Home

Joshua described his deployment in a Facebook post, saying he was 'out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything'.

Then came the news from home. 'I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE,' he wrote.

Joshua said his family had been working through the immigration system while waiting for his father's green card application to be approved.

'This is heartbreaking for me,' he said, adding that he did not know how he could mentally continue working more than 12 hours a day while knowing his father was 'possibly being treated like a criminal'.

Joshua's account of his father's pending immigration case is supported by family members, although the precise status of the application has not been publicly detailed. CBS News reported that his half-sister, Katty Delgado, also said Aviles Roa had a pending application to obtain legal status

The Arrest in Florida

Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, was arrested by US Border Patrol during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Family members told CBS News that Aviles Roa had lived in the United States for roughly 20 years. He was reportedly on his way to a mechanic when he was stopped.

Joshua said his father had a driver's licence, Social Security card and work permit, and that the family had been waiting for a decision on his green-card application.

DHS, however, said Aviles Roa entered the United States illegally and would remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody pending removal proceedings.

The agency did not dispute the family's claim that he had no criminal record. That difference is at the heart of the case.

The Green Card Question

A pending green card application and work authorisation do not, by themselves, establish lawful permanent resident status.

That distinction matters here. Joshua's family says they had been pursuing legal status for Aviles Roa and were awaiting a decision, while DHS maintains that his immigration history makes him subject to removal proceedings.

Asked about the family's claim that Aviles Roa had work authorisation and a pending immigration application, DHS told Telemundo that 'work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.'

The case, therefore, raises questions about Aviles Roa's immigration history, the status of his pending application and what options remain available to him during removal proceedings.

A Sailor Under Pressure

The detention is also taking an emotional toll on Joshua while he remains aboard the carrier. His half-sister, Katty Delgado, told CBS News that Joshua had been struggling with the situation and having difficulty sleeping and eating.

'His mind is focused now on "Where is my dad? And how is he doing?"' Delgado said. That comes as the USS Abraham Lincoln has endured an unusually demanding deployment.

The carrier went more than 200 consecutive days without a port call, setting what lawmakers described as a modern-day record, as Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about conditions and morale after sailors' families voiced complaints.

Joshua is therefore dealing with a family crisis from thousands of miles away while continuing the demanding routine of life aboard a warship.

DHS Draws a Hard Line

The Department of Homeland Security has rejected any suggestion that Joshua's military service should exempt his father from immigration enforcement.

'Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation's laws,' DHS said. 'We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress,' the department added. 'This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce.'

The statement puts the dispute into stark terms. Joshua is talking about family, sacrifice and the anguish of being unable to help his father in person. DHS is stressing immigration law and enforcement. The two positions leave Joshua caught in the middle.

What Happens Next?

Luis Manuel Aviles Roa remains in ICE detention pending removal proceedings, according to DHS. The USS Abraham Lincoln left the Middle East on Saturday and is now heading back to the United States, a journey expected to take several weeks. The USS George Washington arrived in the region as its expected relief.

For Joshua's family, however, the crisis is far from over. His father remains in immigration custody. His family says they were waiting for a decision on his application for legal status, while DHS says his pending application and work authorisation do not confer legal status.

Joshua, meanwhile, remains aboard the carrier as it heads home, worrying about what could happen to his father before he returns.

For a sailor who says he is 'fighting for a country that has given me everything', the family crisis unfolding back home has left him trying to fulfil his military duties while awaiting answers about his father's future.