The Supreme Court has blocked former President Donald Trump’s attempt to use an obscure 18th-century law for mass deportations.
Trump’s controversial plan aimed to deport hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador’s brutal mega-prison. This sparked legal and political unroar nationwide.
Supreme Court blocks Trump’s migrant deportation plan
Trump’s administration aimed to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The goal was to fast-track deportations of migrants seen as national security threats.
This wartime law gives the president power to detain or deport non-citizens.
It applies during declared wars or foreign attacks on the U.S.
The court’s 7-2 ruling denied Trump’s emergency request to lift a lower court’s block on the deportations to El Salvador.
Trump deported migrants before the Supreme Court ruling
On March 15, Trump officials flew hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s Center for Terrorism Confinement, a high-security mega-prison.
This happened just hours after Judge James Boasberg paused deportations. His order raised concerns about defying legal authority.
Additionally, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt denied any wrongdoing. She claimed the administration followed all court orders.
However, investigation reveals many deported migrants lacked any public criminal records despite being labeled as threats
A CBS “60 Minutes” report revealed that out of 238 deported Venezuelans, 179 had no public criminal record on file.
This finding raised alarm about how the administration labels individuals as criminals or threats.
Critics argue the process lacked transparency. They say it violated legal standards. Migrants were potentially exposed to abuse in the Salvadoran prison.
The alien enemies act of 1798 has rarely been used
Originally passed during tensions with France, the Alien Enemies Act enabled detention of suspected foreign enemies during wartime.
It was last used in World War II to justify internment of Japanese, German, and Italian civilians living in the U.S.
Trump argued the law applied because of an “invasion” by gang-affiliated migrants. He cited foreign criminal cartels like Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua.
However, Trump signed an excutive order classifying certain migrant gags as terrorist groups to activate the wartime deportation law.
The White House confirmed in January that Trump designated foreign cartels as terrorist organizations through a sweeping executive order.
The designation aimed to justify deportation without lengthy hearings. It also bypassed standard judicial protections for detainees.
Critics argued this blurred the line between military policy and immigration law. They warned it set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.
Supreme Court sends deportation case back to appeals court.
The court ruled the deportation process violated constitutional protections by denying detainees a chance to challenge their removal beforehand.
“Twenty-four hour notice, with no due process guidance, fails constitutional standards,” the unsigned majority opinion declared in the ruling.
The case now returns to a federal appeals court, which must decide whether the law was legally applied by Trump.
Texas detainees can now prove innocence before deportation
Migrants held in a detention facility in North Texas will be granted legal hearings before any deportations move forward.
Additionally, this ruling temporarily shields hundreds of individuals from being exiled to El Salvador’s controversial prison under questionable legal justification.
Civil liberties groups praised the decision as a victory for due process and constitutional protections for vulnerable migrants.
Donald trump criticized the supreme court ruling in a fiery statement
On Truth Social, Trump blasted the court, claiming dangerous criminals and mentally unstable migrants will now remain in the U.S.
He accused the system of favoring long, expensive legal delays. This let criminals commit more offenses before even facing court.
He wrote: “The Supreme Court has just ruled that the worst murderers, drug dealers, gang members, and even those who are mentally insane, who came into our Country illegally, are not allowed to be forced out without going through a long, protracted, and expensive Legal Process.
“One that will take, possibly, many years for each person, and one that will allow these people to commit many crimes before they even see the inside of a Courthouse. The result of this decision will let more CRIMINALS pour into our Country, doing great harm to our cherished American public.
“It will also encourage other criminals to illegally enter our Country, wreaking havoc and bedlam wherever they go. The Supreme Court of the United States is not allowing me to do what I was elected to do.”
He continued: “Sleepy Joe Biden allowed MILLIONS of Criminal Aliens to come into our Country without any ‘PROCESS’ but, in order to get them out of our Country, we have to go through a long and extended PROCESS.
“In any event, thank you to Justice Alito and Justice Thomas for attempting to protect our Country. This is a bad and dangerous day for America!”