Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested by Border Patrol agents Saturday in Key West, Florida, while his son served aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, according to family members and government officials.

Aviles, a handyman originally from Nicaragua who has lived in the United States for 19 years, will remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while the government seeks to deport him, according to the Department of Homeland Security. His wife, Argelia Aviles, said her husband possesses a work permit and has no criminal record.

The arrest comes as the Trump administration pursues mass deportation efforts that have included detaining parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military members. The USS Abraham Lincoln set a U.S. military record for uninterrupted time at sea during its deployment.

Joshua Aviles, 28, learned of his father's detention while aboard the ship, writing on Facebook that he was "fighting for a country that has given me everything" and describing the situation as heartbreaking.

"This is devastating," said Katherine Delgado, Joshua's sister. "He's gonna come home without his father."

What the Right Is Saying

The Trump administration has defended its enforcement actions, saying that military service does not exempt anyone from immigration laws.

"Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation's laws," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. "The Trump administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce."

Administration officials argue that the focus on removing individuals without legal status remains consistent with campaign promises and broader enforcement priorities. They note that parole-in-place benefits still exist and those who qualify can apply through proper channels.

Conservative commentators have supported the administration's position, arguing that immigration enforcement must be applied uniformly regardless of family connections to military service. Some have questioned whether all detainees qualify for the protections being cited by critics.

The White House has maintained that its mass deportation agenda serves national interests and that individuals without legal status should pursue legal avenues rather than relying on enforcement discretion.

What the Left Is Saying

Immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers have criticized the arrests of military family members as harmful to both service members and national security.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association and other advocacy groups argue that detaining relatives of active-duty troops undermines military recruitment and readiness. They say the practice creates a cruel choice for service members who joined the military partly hoping it would help their families obtain legal status.

"This is a betrayal of those who serve," said one advocacy organization in a statement, noting that many immigrants join the military specifically to accelerate their family's path to citizenship.

Democratic legislators have introduced bills to expand and protect "military parole-in-place" benefits, which allow spouses, children, and parents of active-duty service members and veterans to apply for legal immigration status without leaving the country. Advocates say current protections are insufficient and contain too many exclusions.

Military family support organizations have also expressed concern about the psychological impact on service members who learn their families face deportation while deployed overseas.

What the Numbers Show

At least six family members of active-duty U.S. military personnel have been deported under the current administration, according to an Associated Press investigation that produced the first accounting of such cases, which the government does not formally track.

Dozens of parents and spouses of service members have been detained in immigration enforcement actions since January 2025, AP reporting found.

The USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment has exceeded nine months at sea, marking a record for uninterrupted carrier operations. The extended deployment has raised concerns about supply shortages, equipment strain, and mental health impacts on crew members working 12-hour shifts without relief.

Military parole-in-place was established to address specific circumstances but contains eligibility restrictions. Those who overstayed visas or who previously applied for legal status at the border may not qualify, according to immigration attorneys familiar with the program.

The Bottom Line

The arrest of Luis Manuel Aviles highlights a tension between immigration enforcement priorities and military family support policies that have existed for years but are now receiving renewed scrutiny.

Joshua Aviles is expected to return home as the USS Abraham Lincoln concludes its record deployment in the coming weeks, though it remains unclear whether his father will be released from detention before then.

Congressional Democrats are likely to continue pushing legislation that would expand protections for military families, while the administration has shown no indication it plans to exempt relatives of service members from deportation proceedings.

Immigration attorneys recommend that military family members consult with legal experts about their options under current law, as eligibility for parole-in-place depends on individual circumstances that vary case by case.