The father of a US Navy sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been released from federal immigration custody after an immigration judge dismissed his case, according to his family and Department of Justice records.
Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested in Key West, Florida, on Saturday, triggering widespread attention because his son, Joshua Aviles, has been deployed aboard the aircraft carrier for nearly nine months.
Immigration case dismissed
Joshua Aviles announced on Facebook on Tuesday that his father had been released from immigration custody. DOJ records show that an immigration judge dismissed Luis Manuel Aviles’ case on Monday, only hours after he was booked into an immigration detention facility in Miami.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately explain why Aviles was arrested or why he was subsequently released.
Margaret Stock, an immigration attorney who represents military families, described the rapid filing and dismissal of the case as highly unusual.
Father arrested while son remained deployed
According to his wife, Argelia Aviles, Luis Manuel Aviles was arrested after leaving his home to take his car to a mechanic. She said he works as a handyman in Key West and has a permit allowing him to work in the United States.
Originally from Nicaragua, Aviles has lived in the US for 19 years.
His detention drew particular attention because his son was serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during an unusually prolonged deployment in the Middle East.
USS Lincoln sailors face prolonged deployment
Joshua Aviles said in a social media post that he had been working 12 hour days without a break since the aircraft carrier left US soil in November.
The Navy confirmed that Joshua Aviles is an enlisted sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. His duties include physically demanding work involved in moving aircraft on the carrier.
The USS Lincoln has set a US military record for the longest uninterrupted period at sea, with the extended deployment raising concerns about supply shortages and the mental health of service members.
The carrier is now being relieved by another US Navy vessel, allowing it to prepare to return home.
Immigration crackdown draws scrutiny
Aviles’ detention comes amid growing scrutiny of immigration arrests involving immediate family members of US military personnel.
The Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement has led to a number of high profile cases involving military spouses and parents. Members of Congress have launched an investigation into the Department of Homeland Security’s handling of such cases.
The rapid release of Aviles following the dismissal of his immigration case is likely to add to questions surrounding the circumstances of his arrest and the treatment of military families during the administration’s immigration crackdown.