The immigrant father of a sailor who is on board the beleaguered USS Abraham Lincoln is back with his family on Tuesday after being detained by immigration authorities over the weekend.The family confirmed the release of Luis Manuel Aviles in a statement posted on social media by his son Joshua Aviles, a Navy handling airman.Joshua Aviles has been deployed on the aircraft carrier for nine months, which is considered a U.S.
military record for uninterrupted time at sea.“Luis has been released back to our family.We are grateful for all of the support for both Luis and Josh throughout this situation.
At this moment, our family is taking time to be together.While we await the return of our proud Navy sailor, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect,” the statement reads.
The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the release of Luis Manuel Aviles.DHS confirmed over the weekend that Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles on Saturday during a traffic stop in Key West, Florida, where the family lives.The agency said he entered the U.S.
illegally at an unknown date and location and was being held in ICE custody.Originally from Nicaragua, Luis Manuel Aviles, 47, has been living in the U.S.for 20 years.
He’s mostly worked as a handyman for hotels in Key West, according to his youngest son, Luis Aviles, and stepdaughter, Katty Delgado.In an interview with Noticias Telemundo on Sunday, Luis Aviles said his father “never hid, he always did things the right way,” adding that he was working toward getting legal status and had complied with his paperwork and visits to ICE’s offices.Delgado told NBC News on Saturday that her stepfather had a work permit, a Social Security card, a driver’s license and an active asylum case.Joshua Aviles, along with another family member, had filed immigration petitions requesting he remain in the country legally, according to the fam...