Wisconsin State Patrol Officer Detained by ICE at Madison Airport Amid Asylum Case
A Wisconsin state patrol trooper who entered the U.S. as a child and is listed on his father's asylum application was detained by ICE at Dane County Regional Airport and placed in custody pending removal proceedings.
ICE detained Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, a 21-year-old Wisconsin state patrol officer, while he was waiting to board a domestic flight at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday. Van Der Merwe, who arrived in the United States in March 2019 with a temporary permission that expired in September 2019, is included in his father’s pending asylum application and holds a valid federal work authorization, according to his attorneys.
The Department of Homeland Security said that a work permit or a pending asylum case does not confer legal status and that Van Der Merwe has overstayed his admission. He remains in ICE custody at a detention facility in Juneau, Wisconsin, while removal proceedings continue.
Attorney Marc Christopher, who represents Van Der Merwe, described the arrest as “inhumane and despicable” and argued that detaining a state trooper whose asylum case is unresolved does not enhance community safety. He also noted that Wisconsin relies on Van Der Merwe to protect the public and called for an explanation from DHS regarding the necessity of his continued detention.