Wisconsin state trooper released from ICE custody after 'dramatic' arrest

Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, a 21-year-old Wisconsin state trooper and South African national, was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Friday. According to The Hill, Van Der Merwe was detained by agents on Thursday while traveling to visit family. The Guardian US reports that agents approached him at an airport as he waited to board a domestic flight.

Van Der Merwe immigrated to the United States at age 14 and has been waiting seven years for his asylum case to be heard. His attorneys at Christopher & De León stated he holds work authorization valid through 2030, which allows him to serve in Wisconsin law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security defended the detention, stating to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Van Der Merwe had overstayed a 2019 visa. The agency spokesperson noted that a pending application or work authorization does not confer legal status in the U.S. However, Van Der Merwe's lawyers rejected this claim, noting that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services authorized his employment.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, The Guardian US — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.