Trump Invokes 1798 Alien Enemies Act for Deportations, Federal Judge Blocks Action

President Trump claimed a Venezuelan gang posed an invasion threat, using a wartime law for expedited deportations, but a judge intervened to halt the process temporarily.

President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to detain and deport Venezuelan migrants accused of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, labeling them as wartime enemies.
The law, historically used during wars, allows deportations without hearings but has not been invoked since World War II, when it was controversially used for Japanese internment.
A federal judge issued a 14-day halt on deportations under the proclamation, citing concerns over due process and the peacetime use of the law against non-state actors.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of five Venezuelan men, arguing the law's application is unprecedented and violates constitutional protections.
The Trump administration has filed an appeal, while critics warn this move could set a dangerous precedent for targeting immigrants based on ancestry or perceived affiliations.