Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested by Border Patrol agents Saturday in Key West, Florida, while his son serves aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln with the U.S. Navy — a vessel that has set a military record for uninterrupted time at sea, according to his wife and reporting from the Associated Press.

Aviles, originally from Nicaragua, has lived in the United States for 19 years and holds a work permit, his wife, Argelia Aviles, said. She described her husband as a handyman who dedicates himself to providing for his family. His son, Joshua Aviles, is entering his ninth month aboard the carrier deployed in the Middle East.

The arrest comes as the Trump administration moves to roll back immigration protections for military families as part of its mass deportation agenda. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Aviles will remain in ICE custody while the government seeks to deport him.

What the Left Is Saying

Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates argue that detaining parents and spouses of active-duty service members undermines military recruitment and betrays the nation's commitment to those who serve.

Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a former Army helicopter pilot who has championed legislation to protect military families from deportation, said the policy creates unnecessary hardship for service members already facing difficult deployments. Joshua Aviles wrote on Facebook that he was still aboard the USS Lincoln when he received word of his father's detention Saturday morning.

"This is heartbreaking for me," Joshua Aviles wrote. "I don't know how I can continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly treated like a criminal."

Organizations including the American Immigration Lawyers Association have pointed to military parole-in-place as a program designed specifically to keep families together so service members can focus on their missions. The National Immigration Law Center called the detentions "a betrayal of those who risk their lives for this country."

Katherine Delgado, 28, Joshua Aviles' sister, said her brother joined the military partly hoping it would improve their father's path to citizenship and end his fear of arrest.

"He's gonna come home without his father," she said.

What the Right Is Saying

Administration officials say immigration laws apply equally regardless of family connections to the military, and that prioritizing certain groups undermines the rule of law.

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

Conservative commentators have supported the administration's position, arguing that existing legal channels exist for those seeking citizenship and that special treatment based on family connections creates inequity. Defense officials have referred questions about immigration enforcement to DHS, noting that military service alone does not confer legal status.

The White House has maintained that its deportation priorities focus on public safety while enforcing immigration law consistently across all populations.

What the Numbers Show

According to an Associated Press investigation, at least six family members of active-duty U.S. troops have been deported since the administration began rolling back protections for military families. One additional family member self-deported, and one spouse who spent more than a month in federal immigration detention was removed from a deportation flight to Brazil only after AP reporting brought attention to her case.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for approximately 250 consecutive days at sea — a record for U.S. naval operations — raising concerns about supply shortages and mental health among crew members. Joshua Aviles told family members he has been working 12-hour shifts without a break during the deployment, according to his sister.

Military parole-in-place, one of the most publicized immigration benefits available to service member families, allows spouses, children, and parents of active-duty personnel and veterans to obtain legal status from within the country. However, eligibility excludes those who overstayed visas or who previously applied for legal status at the border.

The Bottom Line

Aviles' case highlights a growing tension between immigration enforcement and military family support as the administration implements stricter policies. His son is expected to return soon as the USS Abraham Lincoln prepares to leave its Middle East station, though it remains unclear whether Luis Aviles will be released before his son's return home.

Immigration advocates say they expect additional detentions of military families in the coming weeks. The government does not publicly track how many family members of active-duty troops have been detained or deported under current policies.