A lawyer representing a pro-Palestinian protester has been detained by federal agents when he attempted to re-enter the United States after visiting the Dominican Republic with his wife and two daughters, Al Jazeera reports.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Amir Makled, a US citizen, was stopped by authorities at Detroit Metro Airport, detained, asked about his clients and asked to hand over his phone that contained privileged information.

Makled, who represents a demonstrator arrested at the University of Michigan last year during a wave of pro-Palestinian student protests, said he was asked for a list of thousands of texts. When he refused, a 90-minute standoff began that ended after he allowed the agents to review his contacts.

“This current administration is doing something that no administration has done — they are attacking attorneys,” Makled said.

“This is a different type of threat to the rule of law that I see. They are now challenging the judiciary, or lawyers, they’re putting pressure [on them] to dissuade attorneys from taking on issues that are against the government’s issues.

“We have an obligation as lawyers to stand up to this stuff,” Makled added.