Wisconsin trooper detained by ICE is freed under monitoring
Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe is out of detention, but his asylum case is still pending and his lawyers say the fight continues.
Key points
- A Wisconsin state trooper was detained by ICE at an airport and has since been released.
- He must wear an electronic monitor and check in regularly with immigration authorities.
- DHS says he overstayed a 2019 visa; his lawyers say USCIS authorized him to work.
- His asylum case is still pending before an immigration judge.
A Wisconsin state patrol trooper detained by federal immigration agents has been released, according to The Guardian. Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe was held after agents approached him at an airport on Thursday, while he was waiting to board a domestic flight.
His release is conditional. Van Der Merwe will be monitored electronically and must report regularly to immigration authorities. His lawyers say he still has to defend his asylum case before an immigration judge, so the matter is not closed.
How the detention happened
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Van Der Merwe, a South African national who moved to the United States at the age of 14. His lawyers say he has waited seven years for his asylum claim to be heard.
While he waited, he received work authorization valid through 2030. That permission allowed him to serve in Wisconsin law enforcement. His graduation ceremony last year was attended by the state’s governor, and a video from the event showed his father pinning on his badge.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the detention in a statement. The department said he had overstayed a visa issued in 2019. A DHS spokesperson added that work authorization and a pending application do not create legal status in the country.
The lawyers’ response
Van Der Merwe’s legal team rejected that position. They pointed out that US Citizenship and Immigration Services, another DHS agency, had authorized him to work. In their view, ICE should not have detained a man whom a sister agency had cleared to work.
The legal team said the release was welcome news but that the fight was not over. They also said the agency that detained him owed his family a clearer explanation. ICE did not immediately say what led to his release.
Wider context
The family arrived in the United States during Donald Trump’s first term and expected to receive asylum. After Trump returned to office last year, he signed an executive order that promoted the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees. The order rested on a claim about race-based discrimination in South Africa that the Guardian describes as false.
The case also reflects a broader pattern. Beyond ICE raids in several cities, some of which were public and deadly, the administration’s deportation push has increasingly played out at airports. Travelers with visas, green cards and pending asylum cases have been detained. Some experts say this is an effort to meet arrest quotas set by the White House.
Van Der Merwe’s lawyers have advised people with unresolved immigration paperwork to speak with an immigration attorney before flying. They warned that past travel without problems does not guarantee the same result now.
Frequently asked questions
Why was the Wisconsin trooper detained?
ICE agents detained Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe at an airport. DHS said he had overstayed a 2019 visa, while his lawyers say another DHS agency had authorized him to work.
Is Van Der Merwe free without conditions?
No. He was released under electronic monitoring and must have regular check-ins with immigration authorities. He still has to defend his asylum case before an immigration judge.
What is the source of this report?
The information in this article comes from a report by The Guardian published on 7 November 2026.
Sources
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