US Supreme Court temporarily blocks deportations of Venezuelan migrants under wartime law. - Reuters

US Supreme Court temporarily blocks deportations of Venezuelan migrants under wartime law. - Reuters

The US Supreme Court has temporarily halted the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA). The court's order came in response to an emergency appeal by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to prevent the deportation of migrants currently held in a facility in the southern state of Texas [1].

The order from the Supreme Court, issued on Saturday, directed the Trump administration not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further notice. This action follows a previous ruling by the Supreme Court that anyone facing deportation under the AEA must be given an opportunity to legally challenge their removal [2].

The ACLU argued that the migrants were in imminent danger of being deported without notice or an opportunity to be heard, violating their right to habeas corpus relief. The court's order is a significant development in the ongoing legal battle over the use of the AEA, which has only been invoked three times in US history, most recently during World War II to hold Japanese-American civilians in internment camps [2].

The Trump administration had invoked the AEA to begin rounding up Venezuelan migrants accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang and expel them to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. The administration contended that the law gave them the power to swiftly remove immigrants they identified as members of the gang, regardless of their immigration status [1].

The Supreme Court's order comes as the Trump administration is expected to return to the court quickly in an effort to persuade the justices to lift the temporary block on deportations. The ACLU has already sued to block deportations of two Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet facility and sought an order barring removals of any immigrants in the region under the Alien Enemies Act [2].

The order from the Supreme Court highlights the ongoing legal and political debate surrounding immigration policies and the use of wartime laws to address contemporary immigration challenges. The temporary halt in deportations underscores the importance of due process and the right to challenge one's detention in US law.

References:
[1] https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250419-us-supreme-court-temporarily-blocks-deportations-of-venezuelan-migrants-under-wartime-law
[2] https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-supreme-court-blocks-new-deportations-of-venezuelans-under-18th-century-wartime-law/