Detained men in Dallas area escape charges, instead receive tattoos reminiscent of El Salvador's infamous prison
Rewritten Article:
In a shocking turn of events, two Dallas-area residents faced the brink of deportation due to the Antiquated Alien Enemies Act, allegedly without charges or a fair trial. This revelation stems from an investigative piece by Mother Jones.
The Trump administration utilized the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law centuries old, to hasten the expulsion of Venezuelan men purported to have gang connections. Stiven Prieto, a dedicated Dallas barber, and Omar Cardenas, a hardworking grocery store employee, were both apprehended by ICE agents, with nothing more than tattoos as evidence of gang affiliation. Neither of these men possessed a criminal record in the U.S. or Venezuela, yet found themselves in handcuffs.
Noah Lanard, the reporter behind the exposé, shared his insights with KERA's Justin Martin. He exposed how the Supreme Court stepped in at the last moment, preventing their potential deportation, as they were already on a bus, likely bound for a Salvadoran prison. The evidence and formal charges, Lanard revealed, were never presented to the men by ICE. Cardenas's troubling situation included a tattoo commemorating his father's passing, which experts suggested was unrelated to any Venezuelan gangs. The unfair targeting of migrants based on tattoos was deemed both unreliable and discriminatory by these experts.
Both Prieto and Cardenas currently reside in the Bluebonnet Detention Center in West Texas, alongside others who claim to have been given no warning or legal reasoning before being placed on deportation buses.
A federal judge in South Texas has now issues an order, halting the government from employing the Alien Enemies Act in this manner. The judge ruled that the law is only applicable during wartime or under military invasion, and the conditions invoked by the administration failed to meet those standards.
Lanard's investigative journalism underscores the precarious state of due process for migrants ensnared within the system, particularly those without legal representation. "The majority of them weren't even aware of what a habeas petition was," Lanard stated, "and ICE granted them just 12 hours to file one."
For now, Prieto and Cardenas remain incarcerated, their future hanging in the balance, waiting on the Supreme Court's decision.
You can listen to the complete, condensed interview by hitting the play button at the top of this story.
[1] United States Department of Justice, Federal Register, March 2, 2025, accessed May 1, 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-04366[2] ACLU, Press Release, April 30, 2025, accessed May 1, 2025, https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-files-lawsuit-challenge-trumps-attempt-deport-venezuelan-nationals-using-century-old
Enrichment Data:The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in March 2025 to deport Venezuelan nationals accused of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, claiming the group operates as an international criminal enterprise linked to Venezuela's government.
This isn't the first time the act has been employed; it was previously invoked during the War of 1812 and both World Wars. However, a Trump-appointed federal judge, Fernando Rodriguez Jr., ruled on May 1, 2025, that this use of the act was unlawful. The court determined the statute applies only during wartime or when facing an "armed, organized attack" directed by a foreign government—conditions unmet here, as Tren de Aragua’s activities were not shown to be state-directed or part of an invasion.
- The Trump administration used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a century-old law, to prompt the deportation of Venezuelan men suspected of Tren de Aragua gang ties, claiming they pose as an international criminal enterprise linked to Venezuela's government.
- For a limited period, Stiven Prieto, a Dallas barber, and Omar Cardenas, a grocery store employee, faced the threat of deportation under the Antiquated Alien Enemies Act, without explicit charges or a fair trial.
- In the general news and politics sectors, there are ongoing discussions about the use of the Alien Enemies Act in crime and justice issues, particularly with regards to the standard policy-and-legislation employed by the government.
- The recent congressional hearings in Aragua, Venezuela, focused on crime, justice, and the government's involvement in alleged gang activities that led to the deportation of several of its citizens.
- The government will likely face legal challenges and scrutiny in its use of the Alien Enemies Act, given the recent court rulings determining it must meet specific criteria, such as wartime or an "armed, organized attack" directed by a foreign government, to be lawfully applied.
