April 10, 2025 — Detroit, Michigan — Michigan attorney Amir Makled is raising serious concerns after being unexpectedly detained by federal immigration officials at Detroit Metropolitan Airport while returning from a family vacation abroad. What should have been a routine reentry into the United States turned into a disturbing encounter that he believes was far from accidental.
Makled, a U.S. citizen, was traveling home from the Dominican Republic with his wife and children. While his family passed through customs without incident, Makled says he was abruptly stopped. What followed was more than an hour and a half of unexplained detainment, during which he was approached by agents he claims were part of the “Tactical Terrorism Response Team.”
The experience, he says, was not only unnerving but deeply invasive. Agents allegedly pressured him multiple times to unlock his phone. Although he refused to give them full access, he eventually allowed a limited glance at his contacts in an attempt to calm the situation. At no point during or after the encounter was he provided with a clear explanation or justification for the detainment. No charges were filed, and he was eventually allowed to leave.
Makled doesn’t believe the timing was a coincidence. One of his current clients is a student at the University of Michigan who faces charges related to a recent pro-Palestinian protest on campus. Makled suspects that his involvement in that case may have placed him under undue scrutiny. He sees this incident not as a mistake, but as a targeted act of intimidation.
“This had nothing to do with national security,” Makled told NPR. “It was about sending a message — to me, and to others who stand up for clients that challenge the status quo.”
Legal observers and civil rights organizations have taken note. Many say this incident may be part of a broader pattern in which lawyers, journalists, and activists face heightened surveillance and harassment, particularly when engaged in politically charged work. The border, in particular, has become a gray zone where constitutional protections are often weakened, and rights like privacy and due process can be compromised.
Customs and Border Protection has yet to comment publicly on Makled’s detainment or the conduct of its agents. In the meantime, Makled and his legal team are evaluating their options, and advocacy groups such as the ACLU are closely monitoring the situation for potential legal violations.
His experience, while troubling on its own, has struck a chord in a national conversation about government overreach and the boundaries of lawful enforcement. For Makled, the incident wasn’t just about what happened at the airport—it was a warning about what can happen when those in power attempt to intimidate individuals for doing their jobs, especially when those jobs involve defending dissent.
In today’s tense political atmosphere, where legal representation of controversial issues can itself become controversial, Makled’s story serves as a sobering reminder: even U.S. citizens—armed with the law and shielded by their rights—are not always protected from unjust treatment.
