President Donald Trump’s invocation of a wartime power to summarily deport Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador was deemed ‘unlawful’ by a federal judge, blocking further deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., appointed by Trump, is a significant setback to the administration’s swift deportation efforts without due process.
Legal Analysis of Trump’s Actions
Rodriguez stated that Trump misused the law, intended for expelling nationals of invading countries during armed attacks, to target alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
According to the judge, Trump’s claims did not meet the threshold required by the Alien Enemies Act, which had only been invoked three times in U.S. history before this proclamation.
Judge’s Verdict and Its Ramifications
The judge concluded that the Proclamation exceeded the statute’s scope and was therefore unlawful. He emphasized that administration officials lacked the authority to detain or remove Venezuelan aliens based on this Proclamation.
This ruling sheds light on the limits of executive power and the need for adherence to legal statutes, even in matters of national security and immigration.
