Trump Faces Legal Challenge Over Expulsion of Gang Members Using 18th-Century Law

Over 200 alleged members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang were deported to El Salvador despite a federal judge's suspension order.

Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime measure last used during World War II, to expel 238 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
A federal judge issued a 14-day suspension on the expulsions, but the flights to El Salvador had already departed, according to the Trump administration.
The deportees were transferred to a high-security prison in El Salvador, with President Nayib Bukele confirming their arrival and supporting the U.S. action.
Rights groups argue the law was misapplied in peacetime, warning it could set a precedent for mass deportations without due process.
The administration claims the gang constitutes a national security threat, alleging ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and describing their activities as a 'war' against the U.S.