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Wisconsin state patrol trooper detained by ICE released from custody
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Wisconsin state patrol trooper Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, a South African national detained by ICE agents at an airport, has been released but remains under electronic monitoring and must regularly check in with immigration authorities.
- Van Der Merwe, who has awaited his asylum case decision for seven years and holds valid work authorization through 2030, was detained due to overstaying a 2019 visa, according to DHS, though his attorneys dispute this.
- His law firm criticized the conflicting positions within DHS agencies, noting that USCIS authorized his work permit while ICE detained him, and emphasized that his immigration case is still pending before a judge.
- The detention reflects broader concerns about increased ICE enforcement actions at airports, including detentions of travelers with visas or pending asylum cases, possibly linked to agency arrest quotas.
- Van Der Merwe’s family immigrated during the Trump administration, expecting asylum under policies promoting Afrikaner refugee resettlement, but his case highlights ongoing challenges for noncitizens with unresolved immigration status traveling domestically.
