Court blocks Trump's Venezuela deportations
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld its block on President Donald Trump's deportations of Venezuelan migrants under a 1798 law typically used in wartime, citing inadequate legal processes by the administration. The justices granted a request from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to maintain the halt on deportations, which had been temporarily stopped since April 19 for migrants detained in Texas.
The ACLU raised concerns that the administration planned to deport the migrants without providing necessary notice or the opportunity to contest their removals. The Supreme Court's decision emphasized the importance of due process, which requires the government to inform individuals and allow hearings before taking adverse actions.
Trump criticized the ruling on social media, arguing that it protects dangerous individuals from being swiftly deported. Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the decision. However, the Supreme Court clarified that the administration could still pursue deportations under other immigration laws.
The Trump administration has been deporting individuals to El Salvador, where they are held in a maximum-security prison under a $6 million deal with President Nayib Bukele's government. The administration has accused the migrants of being affiliated with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Relatives and lawyers of the deported individuals have denied these allegations and claimed that the migrants were not given a fair chance to contest the accusations.
The Alien Enemies Act, invoked by Trump to expedite these deportations, allows the president to act against individuals whose allegiance is to a foreign power and who may pose a national security risk. This case marks the second time Trump's actions regarding Venezuelan migrants have faced scrutiny from the Supreme Court, raising concerns about the administration's adherence to judicial limits.
