Judge blocks Trump administration from implementing Alien Enemies Act

A federal judge expanded his ruling temporarily blocking the Trump administration from invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 on Saturday, preventing the removal of Venezuelan immigrants without legal status and presumed to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

The order issued by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg will halt deportations for all individuals deemed eligible for removal under President Trump’s order for 14 days as a result of the lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward and the American Civil Liberties Union.

“I think there’s clearly irreparable harm here given these folks will be deported,” Boasberg said at the virtual Saturday hearing. 

“A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm,” said Boasberg, an appointee of former President Obama.

However, on the call, Boasberg signaled that some of the five Venezuelans who were detained over the weekend were already on board repatriation flights. 

Earlier in the day, the judge blocked the removal of five Venezuelans prior to Trump’s decision to formally invoke the Alien Enemies Act.

“Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States,” Boasberg told Justice Department officials.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday the Department of Homeland Security arrested nearly 300 Tren de Aragua terrorists.

“Thanks to the great work of the Department of State, these heinous monsters were extracted and removed to El Salvador where they will no longer be able to pose any threat to the American People,” Leavitt said.

“President Trump will always put the safety of the American People first — and he will never allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate on American soil and endanger our people. They will be found, restrained and removed — and their networks will be destroyed.”

Updated at 4:41 pm EDT on March 16.