Federal judge didn’t hold back in a heated courtroom showdown, slamming Donald Trump’s legal team for what he called an “unprecedented” and “problematic” use of an obscure wartime law to deport hundreds of immigrants—without giving them a chance to fight back.
Mass Deportations Continue Despite Court OrderGovernment Refuses to Reveal Who Was Deported
During a tense Friday hearing, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ripped into the administration’s sudden invocation of the Alien Enemies Act (AEA)—a law dating back to 1798—calling its use to mass-deport Venezuelan migrants a dangerous stretch of executive power. According to Politico’s senior legal correspondent Kyle Cheney, who live-posted details from the hearing, Boasberg warned that Trump’s move to classify members of the Tren de Aragua gang as an “invading force” had no historical precedent and raised serious legal concerns.
The judge pointed out that in previous cases where the AEA had been enforced—such as during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II—there had been clear declarations of war and no ambiguity about who the enemy was. “This is a long way from the heartland of the rule,” he said, according to journalist Adam Klasfeld.
But here’s the catch: The United States isn’t even at war with Venezuela.
Mass Deportations Continue Despite Court Order
Despite the judge’s concerns, the Trump administration pushed forward with its deportation spree, even after Boasberg ordered a temporary halt. In a legal challenge led by the ACLU and Democracy Forward, attorneys argued that many of the deported Venezuelans were wrongly accused of gang affiliations. Some were never even given a chance to prove their innocence.
Yet, by the time the court intervened, more than 250 people had already been expelled.
Government Refuses to Reveal Who Was Deported
Adding fuel to the fire, the Trump administration has refused to disclose the identities of those deported or explain how immigration officials determined they were gang members. ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt accused the administration of fast-tracking deportations in the dead of night before the courts could intervene.
Judge Boasberg seemed to share that concern, suggesting that Trump’s team rushed to deport people before lawsuits could stop them.
“It seems to me the only reason to do that is if you know it’s a problem and you want to get them out of the country before there are suits filed,” Boasberg said.
With mounting legal challenges and growing public outrage, one thing is clear: this battle over Trump’s aggressive deportation tactics is far from over.
