Expected Invocation of Wartime Powers by Trump for Accelerated Removal of Migrants in Imminent Days
In the upcoming days, sources close to the situation confirm that the Trump administration is set to pull a drastic move using wartime powers to ramp up the President's mass deportation plan. The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an 18th-century law seldom discussed, is the compass for this ambitious endeavor.
This throwback law grants expansive powers to the president, enabling targeted actions against undocumented immigrants. However, legal experts caution that the administration may encounter stiff resistance in the courts.
Previously, CNN reported that this authority was a hot topic in various agencies as officials geared up for implementation. The prime focus remains on Tren de Aragua (TDA), a Venezuelan organized crime group known for its operations in the United States and other countries.
The President had instructed his administration to classify TDA as a foreign terrorist organization and use this classification to facilitate their removal. The announcement, predicted to drop as early as Friday, is shrouded in uncertainty as officials race to put the final touches. If implemented, this move could expedite the expulsion of selected immigrants.
Reached out for comment, the Department of Homeland Security remained tight-lipped. The law is designed for application during warfare, or in response to foreign invasion or imminent threat. Legal experts express doubt that it can be used when the nation isn't under direct attack, even in circumstances involving gangs or cartels.
The Alien Enemies Act has witnessed scant usage in American history – only thrice, all during wars. During World Wars I and II, it was invoked to justify the detainment and expulsion of immigrants hailing from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Japan. The act played a sinister role in the US's internment of Japanese citizens during World War II, according to a non-partisan law and policy institute.
- The Trump administration's mass deportation plan, rooted in the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, may seek to target the Tren de Aragua (TDA), a Venezuelan organized crime group, under the guise of classification as a foreign terrorist organization.
- Legal experts argue that the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act, traditionally applied during warfare, may face strong opposition in the courts, particularly when the nation is not under direct attack, even in cases involving gangs or cartels.
- Invoked three times in American history, only during wars, the Alien Enemies Act has a controversial past, including its involvement in the US's internment of Japanese citizens during World War II, as reported by a non-partisan law and policy institute.
