Forward Latino Condemns the Detention of U.S. Navy Sailor’s Father, Immigration Enforcement Overreach and Indifference to the Sacrifices Made by Members of the U.S. Military and Their Families!
Morin: “We were told they were going after the worst of the worst. Instead, once again they targeted the family of one of America’s best.”
MILWAUKEE, WI — Forward Latino National President Darryl Morin issued the following statement following reports that Luis Manuel Aviles, the father of U.S. Navy sailor Joshua Aviles, was arrested by immigration authorities and is now being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Joshua Aviles is currently serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln following more than 250 consecutive days at sea. His father, a Nicaraguan immigrant who has lived in the United States for approximately 19 years, reportedly has authorization to work in the United States and no criminal record.
Morin issued the following statement:
“Tonight, our prayers are with U.S. Navy sailor Joshua Aviles, his father Luis Manuel Aviles and their entire family.
Joshua is thousands of miles from home serving our nation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. While he fulfills his oath and sacrifices for our country, his father is sitting in immigration detention.
Americans were told these aggressive enforcement operations were about removing the ‘worst of the worst.’ Yet once again, the reality tells a very different story. This is not the worst of the worst. Instead, our government has targeted the family of one of America’s best, a sailor serving honorably under extraordinary conditions, and defending our nation.
Forward Latino recognizes our nation’s responsibility to secure its borders and enforce its immigration laws. But enforcement must be focused, humane, constitutional and consistent with our American values.
The unprecedented overreach and rhetoric of hate and division surrounding these operations have had devastating consequences. Families have been torn apart, communities have been placed in fear, and immigration enforcement actions have resulted in immigrants and U.S. citizens alike losing their lives. Now that reach has extended yet again into the family of an active-duty member of our Armed Forces.
We call upon the Department of Homeland Security to immediately review this case and release Mr. Aviles.”
Joshua should be able to focus on his mission and return home to embrace his father, not wonder whether his father will still be here when his deployment ends.
May God watch over Joshua and every sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and bring them safely home. And may our nation remember that we can enforce our immigration laws without abandoning our humanity.”
About Forward Latino
Forward Latino is a national, non-profit, non-partisan service and advocacy organization dedicated to empowering communities, strengthening democracy, and advancing civil rights. The organization works to address hate crimes, reduce gun violence, support veterans and working families, and develop the next generation of civic leaders. Through advocacy, education, and direct community engagement, Forward Latino helps Hispanic and other underserved communities meet the civic, economic, and social challenges of the 21st century.
For more information, visit www.forwardlatino.org.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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