Supreme Court Halts Trump’s Use of Alien Enemies Act

A dramatic turn of events unfolded early Saturday morning when the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Venezuelan migrants under the historic Alien Enemies Act—a wartime law dating back to 1798.

The decision came in response to an emergency appeal filed by attorneys representing those affected, who argued their clients were facing imminent deportation without adequate notice or a chance to mount a legal defense.

The Court issued a brief but sweeping order: none of the detainees were to be removed from the United States until a lower federal court in Louisiana had a chance to weigh in.

Justices Divided – But the Order Stands

While the Court did not explain its reasoning, the message was clear: due process must be respected, even when the government invokes extraordinary wartime powers.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, but the majority’s decision held firm.

In the meantime, Venezuelan nationals are being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in northern Texas—a facility that, according to attorneys, the administration has strategically used to bypass previous court rulings issued in other states.

A 1700s Law Revived

The Trump administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a nearly forgotten statute that has only been used three times in U.S. history—most recently during World War II to intern Japanese Americans.

Now, it’s being used to deport Venezuelans accused of ties to the infamous Tren de Aragua gang. The evidence, however, remains murky. Some migrants were allegedly given documents only in English and pressured to sign without understanding the contents.

“ICE informed F.G.M. that these papers were coming from the President, and that he will be deported even if he did not sign it,” wrote immigration attorney Karene Brown in a sworn declaration.

The Right to Fight

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Democracy Forward are among the organizations representing the detainees.

They argue that removal notices are being delivered less than 24 hours before deportation, making it impossible for individuals to mount a defense.

“We are deeply relieved that the Court has temporarily blocked the removals. These individuals were in imminent danger of spending the rest of their lives in a brutal Salvadoran prison without ever having had any due process,” said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt.

A Fine Line Between Law and Emergency

Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C.—who had previously tried to block the deportations—admitted Friday night that he no longer had the authority to intervene, after the Supreme Court ruled that such cases can only be handled by courts located in the district where the migrants are held.

“You’re not wrong; I just don’t think I have the power to do anything about it,” he told Gelernt in a hearing marked by urgency and frustration.

What Comes Next?

The Trump administration is expected to return to the Supreme Court swiftly, seeking to overturn the temporary stay.

But for now, the Court has signaled that even under centuries-old laws, the government cannot sidestep fundamental rights.

What will happen to the Venezuelans already transported to airports in preparation for deportation remains unclear.

But one thing is certain: their case has captured the attention of the highest court in the land.

At the same time as the ruling, President Trump shared a professionally produced video showing deported detainees being received by soldiers and placed on buses to be sent to high-security prisons. You can watch the video here.

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