Trump Invokes 18th-Century Law to Target Venezuelan Gang, Faces Legal Challenge

A federal judge temporarily blocks Trump's attempt to use a wartime-era law to expel alleged members of Tren de Aragua, citing concerns over its legality.

Donald Trump seeks to use the 1798 Alien and Sedition Act to classify alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as 'enemy aliens' and expel them from the U.S.
The Alien and Sedition Act, last used during World War II, allows the president to detain or deport citizens of an enemy nation during wartime.
A federal judge has issued a 14-day suspension on the expulsions to review the legality of the presidential directive following a lawsuit by human rights advocates.
The White House claims Tren de Aragua has ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and accuses the gang of conducting a 'criminal invasion' on U.S. soil.
Critics, including the ACLU, argue that invoking a wartime law for immigration enforcement is unprecedented and potentially unlawful.