The United States Supreme Court on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to resume deportations of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang affiliations, citing a lack of due process.
In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled that the detainees had not been given sufficient time or information to legally challenge their removal under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA)—a rarely used wartime law. The ruling is a significant setback to President Donald Trump’s efforts to expedite the deportation of alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Trump, who has prioritized mass deportations in his presidency, responded with frustration on his Truth Social platform, writing: “THE SUPREME COURT WON’T ALLOW US TO GET CRIMINALS OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!”
The administration invoked the AEA in March, deporting a group of Venezuelan men—some to a high-security prison in El Salvador—without court hearings. Lawyers for several deportees claim their clients were misidentified based solely on tattoos and had no criminal ties.
On April 19, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the deportations. Friday’s order affirmed that pause, stating detainees were notified too late and lacked proper guidance on asserting their rights.
“Notice roughly 24 hours before removal, devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights… does not pass muster,” the justices wrote.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.
The court also noted that a Salvadoran man was mistakenly deported alongside the Venezuelans and has not been returned, further raising concerns.
Importantly, the Court did not rule on whether the AEA could legally be used for immigration enforcement. That question will now return to a lower court for further review.
“We recognize the significance of national security interests,” the justices stated, “but such interests must be pursued in a manner consistent with the Constitution.”
So far, three federal judges have declared the use of the AEA for deportations unconstitutional. One judge, appointed by Trump, upheld its use.
Since returning to office, Trump has escalated border security, deployed troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, imposed tariffs on neighboring countries, and labeled gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as terrorist groups.
AFP
