President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act on Saturday, declaring that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has invaded the United States and ordering the immediate apprehension, detention, and removal of anyone identified as part of the group.
The move came just hours after a federal judge in Washington, D.C., “blocked” the administration from using the law to swiftly deport five Venezuelan men. Civil rights attorneys argued the men were at risk of removal without a court hearing, prompting U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg to issue a temporary restraining order preventing their deportation for 14 days. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Saturday.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward preemptively sued the administration, claiming Trump’s use of the wartime law posed an “imminent risk” to migrants who could be deported without due process. The ACLU argues that the five men the government seeks to remove have no connection to the gang.
Within hours of the judge’s ruling, the Trump administration filed an appeal, signaling its intent to fight the restraining order. While Boasberg’s decision currently applies only to the five men, the ACLU has vowed to push to prevent the administration from using the law against other migrants.
Read the executive order here.
