Court Blocks Deportation: Trump's Alien Enemies Act Decision Overturned

A federal appeals court has issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's attempt to deport Venezuelans using the Alien Enemies Act. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that President Trump's use of the 1798 law was unlawful and not applicable without a wartime context.

The 2-1 decision marked the first direct ruling on Trump's March 14 proclamation, which claimed the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, posed a threat to U.S. security. Judge Leslie Southwick, backed by Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, rejected claims of a 'predatory incursion' by the gang.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued that the administration's rapid deportation tactics violated due process rights. The Supreme Court has temporarily halted these removals, with ongoing legal challenges to the president's invocation of the contentious law.

(With inputs from agencies.)