The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a lower court’s ruling that had blocked the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. On April 8, the Court ruled that the Trump administration could continue deporting Venezuelans under wartime powers, citing the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. This decision temporarily stayed the lower court’s order, allowing the administration to deport individuals linked to criminal gangs from Venezuela.
The Supreme Court stated that any legal challenges to this law should have been filed in Texas, where the migrants were held, rather than Washington D.C. In a close 5-4 ruling, the Court granted the Trump administration’s request to limit the authority of a D.C.-based judge.
Trump celebrated the decision on social media, claiming it upheld the rule of law and allowed the President to secure the borders. Historically, the Alien Enemies Act was used during World War II against Japanese, Italian, and German immigrants. The American Civil Liberties Union had challenged the Trump administration’s actions in lower courts.
