In a plot twist that feels less like a patriotic anthem and more like a Kafka novel, the father of a US sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been swept into immigration detention. The aircraft carrier is currently deployed in the Middle East, where it's been busy participating in the Iran war - because apparently, that's where the action is.

Joshua Aviles, the sailor in question, took to social media to share the news that his father, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan national, was yanked by border patrol during a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest, noting that Aviles Roa entered the US illegally and will now enjoy an extended stay in ICE detention while awaiting removal proceedings.

Joshua, who's been deployed for over nine months, expressed his heartbreak: 'I've been deployed for over nine months, out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything. I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE.' He pointed out that his dad had a driver's licence, social security card, and work permit, and that they were just waiting for his green card to be approved. 'We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting. This is heartbreaking for me. 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.'

DHS, in a statement that could double as a cold shower, reminded everyone that 'Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation's laws.' Because, of course, the laws are the laws, and nuance is for the weak.

Meanwhile, rights groups are having a field day (not in a good way) pointing out that the Trump administration's immigration crackdown has violated free speech and due process rights, and created an unsafe environment, especially for ethnic minorities who are worried about racial profiling. But who needs those pesky rights when you have a record-breaking ship at sea?

The USS Abraham Lincoln, which finally left the Middle East on Saturday, set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea - over 200 days without a port call. That's a lot of time to contemplate life, liberty, and the pursuit of a decent meal. Democratic lawmakers have called for answers after sailors' families raised concerns about poor living conditions and morale on board. The USS George Washington arrived last week to relieve the Lincoln, presumably so the crew can remember what solid ground feels like.

So, as one sailor fights for his country, his father fights for his freedom. It's a tale that would make a great movie, if it weren't so depressingly real.