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US Sailor’s Father Detained by Immigration Authorities

US Sailor’s Father Detained by Immigration Authorities.

The immigrant father of a U.S. Navy sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been taken into federal immigration detention in Florida, according to his son and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan national, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol following a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida, DHS said Sunday. His son, Joshua Aviles, disclosed the detention in a Facebook post while describing the emotional toll it has taken on him during his lengthy military deployment.

“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,” Aviles wrote.

He said his father had a driver’s license, Social Security card and work permit when he was detained. The family had also completed immigration procedures seeking approval for a green card and was waiting for a decision, according to the sailor.

Aviles said the situation has made it difficult to continue working more than 12 hours a day while worrying about his father’s treatment and whereabouts.

DHS said Luis Manuel Aviles Roa entered the United States illegally and will remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while removal proceedings are pending.

“Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws,” DHS said.

President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s immigration crackdown as necessary to strengthen domestic security. Rights organizations, however, have criticized the policy, arguing that enforcement measures have raised concerns over due process, free speech and racial profiling.

The USS Abraham Lincoln departed the Middle East on Saturday after being deployed during the Iran war. The aircraft carrier spent more than 200 consecutive days at sea without a port call, setting a modern-era record.

Democratic lawmakers have sought answers about conditions aboard the Lincoln after sailors’ families expressed concerns about the extended deployment and its impact on crew members.

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