Overview
- Luis Manuel Avilés Roa was taken into ICE custody after U.S. Border Patrol stopped his vehicle in Key West on August 22 and he now faces deportation proceedings, DHS confirmed to Reuters.
- DHS says Avilés Roa entered the United States without authorization, while his son and family members say he held a driver’s license, Social Security card, a work permit and had pending applications for permanent residency.
- Family accounts say Avilés Roa was detained after leaving home to take his car to a mechanic and that his whereabouts and health status are not fully known to them.
- His son, Petty Officer Joshua Avilés, is more than nine months into deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and says the arrest has caused emotional strain and uncertainty about caring for family back home.
- Journalistic reviews and AP counts show detentions of parents and spouses of active-duty service members have risen after the administration removed previous operational limits on immigration enforcement, and the case underscores gaps in public information about hearing dates and legal representation.