Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, the father of Joshua Aviles, a sailor deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, was released by immigration authorities on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The release came days after Border Patrol arrested Aviles Roa on August 22 during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida.

Joshua Aviles shared the news on Facebook, posting on behalf of his family that his father had been released back to them. The family expressed gratitude for the support they received and asked for understanding and respect while awaiting Joshua's return from deployment.

Joshua also noted in an earlier post that his father holds a driver's license, Social Security card, and work permit, and that the family has been working through immigration processes to get his green card approved.

The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute Joshua Aviles' account of the situation but did not immediately comment on the release.

Joshua expressed the emotional toll of the detention, stating, "I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal. My dad’s only ‘crime’ was coming to this country to give my siblings and me a better life."

Sources