Pro-Palestine attorney says Terror Team flagged him at US customs

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
12 Apr 2025 23:21
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The Trump administration has taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward pro-Palestinian activism, including detaining international students involved in protests and revoking the visas of more than 600 students.

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Amir Makled is a Michigan-based attorney who was detained by federal agents when returning to the US from a family vacation (social media)

The Guardian on Saturday reported that a Lebanese American attorney believes he was deliberately targeted at the US border because of his Arab identity and the nature of his legal work. Amir Makled, a Detroit-based lawyer, described being stopped by immigration authorities at Detroit Metro Airport after returning from a family vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Makled said that when his passport was scanned, the immigration officer's demeanor abruptly shifted and a request was made for a "TTRT" agent. "So I Googled what TTRT meant. I didn't know," he told The Guardian. "And what I found out was it meant Tactical Terrorism Response Team. So immediately I knew they're gonna take me in for questioning. And that's when I felt like I was being racially profiled or targeted because I am Arab."

Makled quickly realized that the stop was not random. According to his account, a plainclothes officer approached and signaled awareness of his professional background. "They made it clear right off the top: 'We know that you're an attorney and we know that you're taking on some higher-profile cases.' I was like, 'OK, well, what do you want from me?'" he recalled.

One of Makled's recent cases involved defending a pro-Palestinian student who was arrested during a demonstration at the University of Michigan. He views the incident as part of a broader pattern of political targeting, especially in light of recent government actions. "To me, there's a clear correlation when you think about what's been happening with all the student protesters across the country and the very explicit direction from the current administration about looking into attorneys who are taking on cases for people seeking asylum or these major law firms in Washington that he issued executive orders on," he said.

Targeted Intimidation

The Trump administration has taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward pro-Palestinian activism, including detaining international students involved in protests and revoking the visas of more than 600 students. Executive orders have also been issued to restrict the activities of law firms that have represented clients at odds with the administration's positions.

During the stop, agents demanded access to Makled's phone. Although he refused to unlock the device on the grounds of attorney-client privilege, agents insisted they would confiscate it unless he complied.

"Because they kept telling me they were just going to take the device," Makled said. "And I didn't want that to happen. I needed my device." He ultimately allowed them to access his contact list under pressure. Agents then asked him about several names on the list, but he declined to provide further information.

Take a burner phone, or keep your phone turned off, when traveling through the U.S. border, recommends attorney Amir Makled.

Makled, who represents pro-Palestine student protesters, had his phone seized by federal agents while traveling. pic.twitter.com/ITpWqPQ2Ub
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) April 11, 2025

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) disputed Makled's account. "Claims that this was an attack on his profession or were politically motivated are baseless. Our officers are following the law, not agendas," CBP official Hilton Beckham said, describing Makled's version as "blatantly false and sensationalized."

Sophia Cope, a senior attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, condemned the search. "That would be completely illegal. But because this guy is at the border... somehow now the fourth amendment goes away," she said. Cope added, "If they tell him: 'We know you're a lawyer,' and then this terrorism flag popped up, that's not routine, that's pre-planned."