Court Blocks Trump’s Alien Enemy Act Deportations
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s temporary block on the deportation of Venezuelan men under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), a 2-1 decision. The majority found the Justice Department failed to demonstrate the existence of a war or invasion justifying the AEA’s use, and also noted concerns over the men’s wrongful identification as gang members. Judge Henderson’s concurrence emphasized the historical military context of “invasion” in the AEA. The ruling is a setback for the Trump administration, which argued the deportations were within presidential powers.
John Q. Hosedrinker