Federal Judge Rules Trump's Use of Alien Enemies Act is 'Unlawful'

What Happened?

A federal district judge, Thursday, ruled against the Trump administration from using an 18th-century wartime law to swiftly deport a group of Venezuelan immigrants.

In his opinion, U.S. District Judge, Fernando Rodriguez Jr., of the Southern District of Texas, wrote that the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 can only be invoked when an 'organized, armed force' is entering the U.S.

The Trump appointee's decision rejects claims that the law can be used against a group of Venezuelan men who disputed they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

Judge Rodriguez Jr. did not question the executive branch’s authority to direct the removal of aliens who engage in criminal activity.

But his opinion reportedly becomes the first to have reached a final decision on the merits.

'The Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and, as a result, is unlawful,' Judge Rodriguez Jr. concluded. '[Administration officials] do not possess the lawful authority under the AEA, and based on the Proclamation, to detain Venezuelan aliens, transfer them within the United States, or remove them from the country.'

Rodriguez Jr. also granted a petition for a class status, under the special circumstances of the case involving 'common questions of law' that could impact other Venezuelan aliens in his district.

Why it Matters

President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act has been questioned in multiple litigations nationwide, including the Supreme Court.

Lawyers for a group of Venezuelan immigrants recently filed an emergency request asking the higher court to block White House efforts to carry out their removal.

The American Civil Liberties Union sought more guidance about how they could fight the deportation under the 18th century act.

They had justified the filing amid the Trump administration's prior actions, when deporting hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador on March 15.

More Venezuelan immigrants were loaded onto buses on April 18.

The Supreme Court previously allowed for the deportations under the act, as long as the migrants received 'reasonable time' to go to court for a hearing.

But the court later revised, temporarily blocking their removal.

The ACLU warned another wave of deportation flights were imminent, which led to the decision.

How it Affects You

Trump has previously called for the impeachment of federal judges who continue to interfere with his deportation efforts.

White House officials say that 139,000 undocumented immigrants have been deported since the beginning of Trump's second administration.

Trump officials continue to point to other legal grounds for their actions, which now impose greater risks for sanctuary cities.

Cities that do not comply with federal immigration laws will be highlighted by the directive of Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and U.S. Homeland Security.

The growing challenge remains unclear of what legal path this sets for future U.S. immigrant relations as these developments continue.