Attorney representing a student protestor detained by federal immigration agents

Amir Makled, a Michigan-based attorney, was detained by federal immigration agents while returning home from a family vacation to the Dominican Republic. Makled, a U.S. citizen, was attempting to enter the country with his wife and children at the Detroit Metro Airport. His family was able to enter without issue, but Makled was subjected to a lengthy detention and interrogation by the agents. During the process, Makled was asked to surrender his cell phone, which he refused to do. After over 90 minutes of back-and-forth, he was eventually released without his phone being taken from him, but he was given a copy of the contact list from his phone. Makled believes that he was targeted because of his decision to represent a student who was charged in connection to a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan. He thinks that this is part of a broader trend of attorneys being targeted for handling cases that go against the current administration of President Trump. The situation highlights a concerning issue of attorneys being intimidated and harassed for their work, particularly when it comes to cases that are politically sensitive or challenge the current government's stance.