Alien Enemies Act

Federal Judge Halts Deportations After Trump Invokes Alien Enemies Act

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump on Saturday from invoking the 18th century Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members without a hearing – ordering any flights carrying the supposed criminals to turn around.

US District judge James Boasberg quickly ordered the Trump administration to halt all removals after the commander in chief signed off on a presidential action invoking the 1798 law – aimed at targeting Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, The Washington Post reported.

The chief judge in the District of Columbia said he heard that “flights are actively departing” and directed US officials to have planes in the air carrying migrants returned to the United States, the outlet reported.

“Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States however that is accomplished,” Boasberg reportedly wrote.

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On June 17, 2010, President Barack Obama formally nominated Boasberg to the district court for the District of Columbia.

The Alien Enemies Act, as amended, is still in effect as 50 U.S.C. ch. 3. It's pretty amazing that criminal illegals get their day in an American court of law.