Luis Manuel Aviles, father of a U.S. Navy sailor deployed on the USS Lincoln, has been released from immigration detention. His arrest had drawn criticism as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
The case highlights concerns over immigration enforcement practices affecting the families of U.S. service members and has prompted a congressional investigation into the Department of Homeland Security's actions.
Luis Manuel Aviles, the father of a U.S. Navy sailor deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln, has been released from immigration detention. His arrest on Saturday had drawn significant backlash, particularly as his son was nearing a record-breaking nine months at sea. Aviles, a handyman who has lived in the U.S. for 19 years and holds a work permit, was detained after taking his car for repairs.
His release followed the dismissal of his case by an immigration judge on Monday, just hours after he was booked into a Miami detention center. The Department of Homeland Security has not provided an immediate explanation for his arrest or subsequent release. Immigration attorney Margaret Stock described the rapid filing and dismissal of charges as unusual.
Aviles' son, Joshua Aviles, confirmed his father's release on Facebook, noting that he himself had been working 12-hour days without a break during the USS Lincoln's extended deployment. The Navy confirmed Joshua Aviles' enlistment and duties aboard the ship. The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile immigration arrests of immediate family members of U.S. soldiers, prompting a congressional investigation into the Department of Homeland Security's practices.