Arrest. MWC file photo
DODGE COUNTY, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Dane County Regional Airport is expected to be released under supervision, according to multiple reports
Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, 21, is being held at an immigration detention center in Dodge County after being detained in a targeted ICE operation, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Attorney Marc Christopher is seeking Van Der Merwe’s release on bond, which is likely to take two weeks. He is calling on DHS to support his immediate release and on Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to scrutinize the decision to detain him.
“Van Der Merwe came to the United States from South Africa legally as a child and has waited seven years for an asylum interview,” according to Christopher.
He says the family has followed the legal process and has waited seven years for an asylum interview. “He is included on his father’s pending asylum application and holds federal work authorization bearing an expiration date in 2030,” Christopher said.
DHS states that Van Der Merwe entered the United States in March 2019 with permission to stay until September 2019. “In defiance of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his admission,” DHS said in a statement.
Van Der Merwe wanted to serve the U.S., but his pending immigration status prevented him from joining the military, so he chose law enforcement, according to Christopher. Van Der Merwe graduated from New Mexico Military Institute with a degree in criminal justice and became a Wisconsin state trooper a year ago.
They added that Van Der Merwe will receive due process during the removal proceedings. His release will involve regular check-ins with ICE and electronic monitoring.
He lives in Onalaska and works out of Tomah. His attorney said state patrol allows noncitizens with valid work permits to serve. A statement from ICE says work authorization does not confer legal status in the United States.
Congressman Derek Van Orden released a statement saying he has discussed the case with the Department of Homeland Security, adding Van Der Merwe will be responsible for “[resolving] his outstanding immigration paperwork and address his legal status.” Congresswoman-elect Rebecca Cooke promised to investigate the situation, adding she will “demand an explanation from ICE officials about why a member of Wisconsin law enforcement is being treated this way – and I will stand up for him until he is released.”
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