U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order stopping Trump from invoking wartime power and using it to deport anyone. President Trump earlier filed presidential action invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, giving the authority to detain or deport nationals of an enemy nation during wartime. The act targeted members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan prison gang. It seeked to remove all Venezuelan citizens 14 and older who are deemed to be members of the organization and are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The expedited removal process allowed under the act means that those subject to the president’s declaration would not go through the normal immigration court process or be able to claim asylum. Many advocates fear that through this act, a door could open for targeting and deportations of individuals regardless of their status or criminal records.
The last time the act was invoked was in WWII when 31,000 suspected enemy aliens were placed in internment camps and military facilities. Immigrant rights groups now are already fighting and urging to put in measures that limit the use to be taken to assist with immigration enforcement.
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/15/nx-s1-5246028/trump-alien-enemies-act-tren-de-aragua-deportation
