Federal immigration officials detained Wisconsin State Patrol trooper Carel Aaron Van der Merwe on Thursday at Dane County Regional Airport as he prepared to board a flight to New Mexico. The 21‑year‑old, who immigrated from South Africa in 2019, was taken into custody for an expired visa and will remain in ICE detention pending removal proceedings.
Administration’s travel enforcement policy
In an email response, an ICE spokesperson defended the arrest, noting that Van der Merwe entered the United States in March 2019 with legal permission to stay until September 2019 and then overstayed his admission. “This illegal alien will receive due process and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” the spokesperson wrote. The agency added that work authorization or a pending asylum application does not confer legal status.
The spokesperson further explained that the detention is part of a broader effort to stop individuals without legal status from traveling domestically. “DHS reversed the horrendous Biden‑era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country,” the statement said. “Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. 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.”
Background on the trooper
Van der Merwe arrived in the United States with his family in 2019, fleeing violence against farmers in rural South Africa. He holds a work permit valid through 2030 and was hired by the Wisconsin State Patrol last year, serving at the agency’s Tomah post. Because of his pending asylum claim, he was ineligible for military service.
Milwaukee immigration attorney Marc Christopher, who will represent Van der Merwe in his removal case, told Wisconsin Watch that his client has waited half a decade for an asylum interview. Christopher said he is unaware of any prior criminal history that would explain the arrest. “I think the only reason, to be honest with you, is that they’re trying to make it as onerous as possible for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen to live and travel in the United States,” he said.
State response and next steps
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, which oversees the State Patrol, confirmed it is aware of the arrest but did not specify whether Van der Merwe is on paid leave while in ICE custody. The Wisconsin Troopers Association, his union, has not yet responded to requests for comment.
As of Friday afternoon, Van der Merwe was being held at the Dodge County Detention Center in Juneau while awaiting a hearing in his immigration case. The case underscores the Trump administration’s renewed focus on enforcing immigration laws and limiting domestic travel for individuals without lawful status.
Community impact
The incident has raised concerns among immigrant‑rights advocates in Wisconsin, who argue that the policy could deter lawful residents from traveling for work or family reasons. However, supporters of the administration’s approach argue that stricter enforcement protects the rule of law and reduces incentives for illegal entry.
Local officials and community leaders are watching the case closely, as it may set a precedent for how state employees with pending immigration matters are treated under the new federal travel restrictions.
Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.
