Supreme Court Ruling Allows Trump to Use Alien Enemies Act for Deportations

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has permitted President Trump's administration to proceed with rapid deportations of alleged gang members under a rarely-used wartime law, despite concerns over due process rights for those affected.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled allowing President Donald Trump to utilize the seldom-invoked Alien Enemies Act of 1798 for the expedited deportation of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. After a lower court's ruling on March 15 had staunched these deportations, asserting the necessity of further examination, the Court's Monday decision endorsed the administration's actions while mandating a fundamental right to due process for affected individuals.

Trump's administration, asserting that these individuals are affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang engaged in "irregular warfare" against the U.S., frames the development as a legal victory. However, dissenting opinions within the Court, particularly from Justice Amy Coney Barrett and three liberal justices, underline the potential risks to the rule of law posed by such measures.

While upholding the authority of the executive branch, the Supreme Court emphasized that detainees should have a reasonable opportunity to challenge their deportation in the appropriate jurisdictions. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which spearheaded the legal challenge on behalf of affected migrants, has also claimed progress as the ruling affirms due process, although they expressed disappointment in the need to restart their legal efforts in a different court.

At least 137 individuals have been deported under this law, evoking criticism from human rights advocates who argue the laws, originally enacted during anti-French sentiments, should not be repurposed in this manner. The situation is further complicated by reports from relatives suggesting that many of those deported have been wrongfully categorized as gang members, potentially based solely on superficial indicators like tattoos.

This ruling vacates a prior case by Judge James Boasberg, who had blocked the use of the Alien Enemies Act, citing the government's failure to provide adequate justification. Trump's administration, however, insists the judicial interventions have obstructed essential national security measures while affirming that deportees were systemically vetted for gang affiliations before being returned to El Salvador under a bilateral agreement. As legal and public outcry continues, the implications of these actions will likely shape the ongoing discourse surrounding immigration policy and national security in the U.S.