Trump administration's application of the Alien Enemies Act, aimed at expelling migrants, met with another judge's impediment.
Title: Judge Halts Trump Administration's Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act
Let's get down to it! Another federal judge has stepped in to block the Trump administration from utilizing the Alien Enemies Act for deportations, arguing that the wartime power isn't appropriate.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein, in an informal, straightforward style, slammed the administration's actions, stating they're indefinitely prohibited from removing migrants from the Southern District of New York under the act. The judge stressed that migrants can still be deported via traditional immigration authorities.
In an opinion reminiscent of a well-crafted essay, Hellerstein penned the details in a 22-page ruling on Tuesday. The judge contended that the administration's usage of the Alien Enemies Act undermines constitutional protections, which guarantee due process for people in the US.
Interestingly, Hellerstein highlighted that migrants haven't been provided with sufficient notice of their allegedly illegal activities, such as joining a particular gang, when or where they joined, and what they did in the US or abroad to further the gang's objectives. Yet, the Trump administration has used these associations to send Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's infamous mega-prison.
Hellerstein's decision adds to a string of court rulings that have thwarted the Trump administration's aggressive and swift deportation approach, a key component of President Donald Trump's immigration policy. Although the Supreme Court and other appellate courts have yet to rule on the legality of the law, the high court has provided some guidance on how migrants' challenges to the act may proceed.
Intriguingly, the judge also highlighted that the administration hasn't demonstrated an invasion by a foreign power, as required by the Alien Enemies Act when it's used. The act has been employed in the US during historical conflicts such as the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.
"Refugees migrating from Venezuela, or Tren de Aragua gang members infiltrating the migrants, are not engaged in an 'invasion' or 'predatory incursion'," Hellerstein wrote. "They do not seek to occupy territory, to displace American jurisdiction from any territory, or to ravage territory. Tren de Aragua may well be involved in narcotics trafficking, but that is a criminal matter, not an invasion or predatory incursion."
Hellerstein's opinion sheds light on the administration's actions in March when over 130 undocumented migrants, some previously held in his judicial district in New York, were deported to El Salvador indefinitely, ending up in a notorious jail known for its inhumane conditions. The sweeping removal efforts are ongoing and pose a threat to litigants and other migrants across the nation.
Sources:1. NPR: "Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Deporting Migrants Using Alien Enemies Act"2. The Washington Post: "A federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s effort to deport asylum seekers under the Alien Enemies Act"3. Reuters: "U.S. Supreme Court leaning toward hearing legal challenges to Trump asylum restrictions"4. Human Rights Watch: "U.S. Deportation Policy Threatens Refugees' Lives in El Salvador"5. ACLU: "Trump administration’s mass deportations of Venezuelans to El Salvador halted by federal court ruling"
- The Alien Enemies Act, used by the Trump administration for deportations, was blocked by Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who argued it was inappropriate during peacetime.
- Hellerstein's ruling added to a series of court decisions hindering the administration's aggressive deportation policy, a significant part of President Trump's immigration policy.
- In his 22-page ruling, Hellerstein noted that migrants were not provided with sufficient notice of their alleged illegal activities, such as gang affiliations, before being sent toEl Salvador's notorious prison.
- Hellerstein also mentioned that the administration failed to demonstrate an invasion by a foreign power, as required by the Alien Enemies Act, during times of war-and-conflicts, like the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.
- The Trump administration's mass deportation of undocumented migrants, including refugees from Venezuela and members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador, potentially poses a threat to litigants and other migrants across the nation, as such policies are often involved in policy-and-legislation and general news discussions.
