Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Use of Alien Enemies Act for Venezuelan Deportations

The 1798 law, historically invoked during wartime, faces legal challenges over its potential use to deport Venezuelans in the U.S.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order preventing the deportation of five Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act for 14 days.
The Trump administration reportedly plans to invoke the 18th-century law to bypass standard immigration processes, citing Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua as a foreign threat.
The Alien Enemies Act has historically been used during declared wars, including the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, but has not been employed in peacetime.
Civil rights groups, including the ACLU and Democracy Forward, argue that invoking the law without a formal declaration of war violates due process and could lead to mass deportations.
A hearing is scheduled to determine whether the restraining order should be expanded to apply to all Venezuelans potentially affected by the law.