The United States Supreme Court has issued a temporary halt to the Trump administration’s deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang affiliation under a centuries-old law.
President Donald Trump last month invoked the **1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA)** to begin deporting Venezuelan nationals alleged to be members of the **Tren de Aragua** gang. Those targeted were being transferred to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
This rarely-used law has historically been enforced only during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.
In a brief order released early Saturday, the court stated:
> “The government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this court.”
The ruling follows an emergency appeal filed by human rights attorneys on behalf of a group of detainees currently held in a Texas facility.
The **American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)** said Friday that the migrants had been warned they would be deported “imminently” under the AEA—possibly the same night. The group claimed many had already been placed on buses headed to the airport.
Lawyers argued that several of the Venezuelans had no criminal history or verified gang ties and were targeted simply for having tattoos.
Trump, who has long pushed for mass deportations, accused Venezuela of orchestrating an “invasion” of the U.S. through alleged Tren de Aragua members.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals facing deportation under the AEA must be given a chance to legally contest their removal.
Despite an earlier injunction from Judge James Boasberg, the administration began deportations in March. Among those deported was **Kilmar Abrego Garcia**, a Maryland resident, who the White House later admitted was removed due to an “administrative error.”
The deportees are currently held in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a supermax prison with a 40,000-inmate capacity. Conditions inside are reportedly harsh—overcrowded, windowless cells, no mattresses, and a complete ban on visitors.
