21-year-old Wisconsin trooper passes through airport security to visit his parents. Then ICE allegedly shackles him despite his 2030 work permit
Even a state trooper's badge offered no shield from ICE.
A 21-year-old Wisconsin State Patrol trooper who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been released from federal custody. Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, who holds a work permit valid through 2030, was detained at Dane County Regional Airport on November 5. His attorney confirmed his release the following day, although he will remain under federal supervision as his immigration case continues.
Van Der Merwe was preparing to board a domestic flight to visit his parents in New Mexico when immigration officers approached him after he passed through airport security. According to his attorney, Marc Christopher, agents handcuffed and shackled the trooper before taking him to the Dodge County Detention Facility.
The release came after Christopher and other supporters raised concerns about the detention. Speaking to NewsNation, the attorney said he wanted Van Der Merwe to have time to recover from the experience before dealing with the next steps in his case.
“I just told him I want him to get back, get re-acclimated, just get settled because I know he’s gone through a very dramatic experience,” Christopher said.
Why was a Wisconsin state trooper detained by ICE?
Van Der Merwe was born in South Africa and came to the United States with his family in 2019, when he was 14. According to Christopher, the family applied for asylum and has waited seven years for an interview. Van Der Merwe is included in his father’s pending asylum application and received federal work authorization that remains valid through 2030.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation confirmed to WMTV that Van Der Merwe has been employed with the State Patrol since July 13, 2025. He works out of the agency’s Tomah post.
However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered a different account of his immigration status. Van Der Merwe reportedly entered the country in March 2019 with permission to remain until September of that year, but “overstayed his admission.”
“Work authorization or a pending application do not confer legal status in the U.S.,” the spokesperson said, as reported by ABC News. The distinction is that a valid work permit allows someone to work in the United States, but it does not itself grant lawful immigration status or prevent removal proceedings. DHS said Van Der Merwe was arrested during a targeted enforcement operation at the airport.
His release does not end his immigration case
Van Der Merwe was released under an order of supervision, but the arrangement requires him to check in regularly with ICE and remain subject to monitoring. His immigration proceedings will continue, and he will still have to defend his case before an immigration judge.
The Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association also expressed support for the trooper following his detention. Association president James Tobin said the incident created uncertainty for Van Der Merwe, his family and colleagues, and called for fair treatment and due process as his case is reviewed.
His attorney has also questioned why ICE detained someone who had been working as a state trooper with federal work authorization while his family’s asylum application remained pending.
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