Supreme Court Blocks Deportation of Venezuelan Migrants Under Wartime Law

Washington, D.C. — The Supreme Court announced Friday that it would uphold a temporary block on the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang affiliation. The high court directed a lower appeals court to review claims regarding their legal status under the Alien Enemies Act, a law from 1798 invoked by the Trump administration.

The justices issued their decision after emergency lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union alerted them to reports that Venezuelan migrants detained in Texas were facing imminent removal. The court cited concerns about the lack of adequate legal process for the detainees, advising that they should have the opportunity to contest their deportation.

In a brief unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court emphasized the necessity of providing sufficient notice and due process to detainees before removals occur. This ruling comes as the administration seeks to expedite deportations of migrants linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, which is classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the Supreme Court should allow the removals, stating the alleged gang members posed safety threats during their detention. However, the court’s decision halted these plans, stating that migrants were not given adequate notice about their removals.

Critics of the administration’s actions, including ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt, praised the ruling as a vital safeguard for due process rights, describing the use of wartime law in such a context as alarming. The ACLU previously reported that detainees had received notice only in English, without detail on contesting their removal process.

The Supreme Court’s ruling also ordered the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to establish the necessary legal procedures for the migrants, indicating that the court’s injunction would remain until further examination of their cases occurs. Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in dissent, argued the administration should have been allowed to remove the alleged gang members immediately.

As the legal battle unfolds, the Trump administration retains the ability to pursue deportations under other provisions of U.S. immigration law, though the legality of the Alien Enemies Act’s invocation remains uncertain.