The Aporia · ICE arrests Wisconsin state patrol trooper with pending asylum case at airport, attorneys say

ICE detained Wisconsin state patrol trooper Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison on Thursday while he was waiting for a domestic flight. Van Der Merwe, who has been a U.S. resident since 2019 and applied for asylum, holds a valid work permit but was arrested anyway during an ICE enforcement operation. His attorneys argue that the arrest is unjust as his case remains unresolved, calling it "inhumane and despicable." DHS maintains that Van Der Merwe overstayed his original legal permission to be in the country, which expired in September 2019, and will face removal proceedings.

Written by AI on 2026-11-08, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

On November 6, 2026, ICE detained Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, a 21-year-old Wisconsin state patrol trooper and asylum-seeker from South Africa, at an airport while he was waiting to board a domestic flight. According to his attorneys, despite having a valid federal work authorization and pending asylum application, ICE officers arrested him without considering these factors, handcuffing and shackling him before taking him to immigration detention in Juneau, Wisconsin.

Van Der Merwe has been working as a state trooper for nearly a year after coming to the U.S. legally as a child and being included in his father’s asylum application. His attorneys assert that arresting someone with pending legal proceedings is "inhumane and despicable" and does not enhance public safety. A DHS spokesperson stated that work authorization or an ongoing application do not grant legal status in the U.S., affirming ICE's actions.

Written for “ICE Arrests Trooper At Airport” on 2026-11-09, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

ICE Arrests Trooper At Airport

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Daniella Silva

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This illegal alien will receive due process and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.”

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ICE detained a Wisconsin state patrol trooper with a pending asylum case at an airport, his attorneys said Thursday. asserted

attorneys → detain → airport

Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, an asylum-seeker from South Africa who has a valid federal work authorization, was detained by ICE as he waited to board a domestic flight, according to a statement from the Christopher & De Leon Law Office released Thursday and obtained by NBC affiliate WEAU. uncertain

he → have → WEAU

He is currently being held at a detention facility in Juneau, Wisconsin, ICE records show. asserted

records → hold → Juneau

According to the attorneys’ statement, Van Der Merwe tried to explain that he had a valid work permit and has a asylum application, but the ICE officers “said they did not care, placed him in handcuffs and shackles, and transported him to immigration detention.” uncertain

they → accord → detention

The 21-year-old came to the country legally as a child from South Africa and is included in his father’s asylum application, according to the statement. uncertain

old → come → statement

He has been a Wisconsin state patrol trooper for nearly a year, his attorneys said. asserted

attorneys → say → year

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News, “To be clear: work authorization or a pending application do not confer legal status in the U.S.” asserted

authorization → say → U.S.

ICE arrested Van Der Merwe during a targeted enforcement operation at the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday, DHS said in a statement. asserted

DHS → arrest → statement

“He entered the country in March 2019 with legal permission to stay until September 2019,” the spokesperson said in the statement. asserted

spokesperson → enter → statement

“In defiance of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his admission. asserted

he → overstay → admission

This illegal alien will receive due process and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.” asserted

alien → receive → proceedings

“This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport,” the spokesperson said. asserted

spokesperson → work → country

Attorney Marc Christopher, who represents Van Der Merwe, said in a statement that the arrest was “inhumane and despicable.” “Putting a Wisconsin State Trooper behind bars while his asylum case sits unresolved does not make our communities safer,” he said. asserted

he → represent → bars

In another statement, Christopher said, “Wisconsin trusts Carel to protect the public.” asserted

Wisconsin → say → public

“DHS owes his family and our community an explanation of why keeping him behind bars is necessary,” he said. asserted

he → owe → bars

ICE arrests Wisconsin state patrol trooper with pending asylum case at airport, attorneys say

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