It’s late where I live but a last scan of the news revealed something good to tell you about. ICE faced a lot of backlash for detaining the father of a sailor aboard the USS Lincoln. It didn’t matter to them that he’d been in the U.S. 19 years and had a valid work permit. Or that his son is currently doing what no member of the Trump family (or Stephen Miller) has ever done which is serve his country in uniform. However ICE was forced to free a man who never should have been detained in the first place. A judge dismissed the “case” (what case?) against him!
That’s right. ICE had no case and as reported by The Independent their hand got forced:
Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested Saturday as he left his home to bring his car to a mechanic, according to his wife, Argelia Aviles. She said that her husband, a handyman based in Key West, Florida, holds a valid permit to work in the United States. Originally from Nicaragua, he has lived in the country for 19 years.
His son, a U.S. Navy sailor, was in his ninth month aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln when his father was taken into custody. The Lincoln recently set a U.S. military record for the longest uninterrupted period at sea amid concerns about supply shortages and declining mental health among military members onboard.
When I first read about this arrest/detention which took place last Saturday I have to admit I felt Hegseth was behind it. The Lincoln is coming home and while many will keep silent until after their enlistments are up to avoid reprisals ‘Warrior’ Pete knows there is plenty of bad PR coming. So, he decided to fire a shot across the Lincoln’s bow. Aviles’ son I recall from an article earlier this week had posted a few things on social media. So Petey Boy used that for a larger goal of browbeating other sailors into silence. Think of it as his effectively saying ‘I’m going to punish people who speak up and will go so far as screwing with one of your shipmate’s relatives to get them deported!’ You can bet the news of the detention spread around the ship like wildfire. So will word Mr. Aviles has been released but the point has been made I’m sure.
As for the whole ordeal for the Aviles family being over, let’s remember it never should have happened in the first place. It does however tell us ICE’s Cruelty Is the Point policy remains firmly in place but they stand ready to do favors for other departments in the government who want to abuse said policy. The linked article notes that what happened is part of a larger pattern of detaining/deporting family members of our troops. It’s vile, and lawmakers have begun investigating this disgusting practice. Even some GOPers realize it’s not a good look for them – it clashes with their little flag lapel pins. In any case we have another high profile case where ICE has been thwarted and Aviles is back where he should be. At home:
His son, Joshua Aviles, said on Facebook Tuesday that his father had been freed from federal custody. According to records from the Department of Justice, an immigration judge dismissed the case against Luis Manuel Aviles on Monday, only hours after he was processed at an immigration detention facility in Miami.
DHS provided no immediate explanation on Monday or Tuesday detailing why Luis Manuel Aviles was detained and subsequently released.
Margaret Stock, an immigration lawyer representing military families, described the swift sequence of charges being brought and then dismissed as “super unusual.
That last part got my attention. EVERY person detained should be taken to court where ICE can present their (too often) bullshit reason for detaining them. If as in this case someone has a valid work permit and/or is being process for a green card or even citizenship and has a clean record the case should be dismissed (with prejudice) on the spot. This kind of swift resolution needs to become the rule instead of the exception.
However this time things worked the way they should. ICE wound up slipping and falling on their ass due to hubris and incompetence. That folks is some good news that’s worth sharing so I have. Hope it made you smile, and even hope.
