U.S. Prepares 25% Import Tax on Purchased Venezuelan Petroleum during Persistent Immigration Enforcement
Uncensored Take:
March 24, 2025 - Mexico City, Mexico - Trump's Tough Tactics: A Deep Dive
The unyielding Donald Trump stirred up the international pot once again, announcing a 25 percent tariff on all trades with countries buying oil or gas from Venezuela. This controversial move has left nations scrambling and Venezuela's government calling foul, accusing the US of breaking international trade agreements.
In a bold response to the Venezuelan chaos, the White House declared its intention to use the 227-year-old Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to forcibly deport Venezuelan nationals suspected of being members of a notorious gang, the Tren de Aragua, to Chile. This isn't the first time this law, designed for wartime situations, has been invoked. Previously, 238 Venezuelan immigrants were kicked out to El Salvador under the same pretext. Yet, Federal Judge James E. Boasberg isn't having it, arguing that due process must be given to those facing deportation accusations.
Despite the resistance, Trump officials continue to push for a reversal of Boasberg's ruling in the Washington federal appeals court. The determination to deport three more Venezuelans to Chile seems like an attempt to circumvent Boasberg's order. So, what's the beef? The Department of Justice alleges that these three are wanted in Chile for serious offenses such as extortion and kidnapping.
It's not only the Venezuelan government and affected families that raise an eyebrow at these forceful actions; legal advocacy groups like the ACLU are filing lawsuits challenging these deportations. Critics question the legality of the Alien Enemies Act being applied towards a country that isn't America's enemy in a traditional sense.
As if that wasn’t enough, Trump recently decided to revoke legal protections for close to half a million migrants - Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans - who came to the US under Biden's sponsorship process. These folks better pack their bags before April 24, or face who knows what.
The controversies surrounding Trump's handling of Venezuelan affairs don't end there. Economic sanctions, plotting coup attempts, and an oil blockade are part of the ongoing story. Trump's latest move, imposing a 25 percent tariff on all trade dealing with Venezuelan energy resources, is simply another tactic to ramp up economic pressure. In a social media post, Trump accused Venezuela of sending violent criminals to the US, justifying his use of the Alien Enemies Act.
Sources claim that US sanctions are exacerbating economic crises, pushing people towards migration. But, analysts aren't so sure about the tariff threats. They claim it would require foreign governments to impose restrictions on companies - a big ask. Furthermore, corporations importing Venezuelan crude may not have any connection to those doing business with US counterparts.
The US has ordered Chevron to wind down its operations in Venezuela within 30 days, but the Treasury Department extended the deadline to May 27 after Chevron's lobbying efforts. Caracas assures us they won't go down without a fight, vowing to challenge US economic coercive measures in international tribunals.
In conclusion, Trump's unorthodox deployment of the Alien Enemies Act, causing mass deportations and stirring up legal battles, has ignited concerns over due process, executive power, and war on immigration. Will the courts stand in the way, or will Trump continue to push the boundaries? Only time will tell.
(Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.)
Behind-the-Scenes:
The Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against Venezuelan nationals has been met with controversy, leading to mass deportations and legal challenges, with significant criticism over due process and expanded executive power.
Briefly, President Trump’s March 15, 2025, executive order designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, allowing the detention and deportation of Venezuelans aged 14+ without hearings. Criticism centers on due process violations, expansion beyond wartime context, and lack of transparency, with legal challenges arising through federal court cases.
The case highlights the first peacetime use of the Alien Enemies Act to deny due process, raising concerns about its future application to other immigrant groups.
- The Trump administration's policy towards Venezuela in 2025 includes a 25 percent tariff on trades with countries importing oil or gas from Venezuela, a move that has been criticized by nations scrambling and Venezuelan authorities for allegedly breaching international trade agreements.
- In an attempt to address the chaos in Venezuela, the White House plans to import the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, initially designed for wartime situations, to forcibly deport Venezuelan nationals suspected of affiliation with Tren de Aragua, a notorious gang, to Chile, a decision that has been met with resistance due to concerns over due process and executive power.
- The Trump administration's policy regarding Venezuela is also marked by plans to discard legal protections for nearly half a million migrants, including Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived in the US under Biden's sponsorship process, forcing them to leave the country before April 24.
- Trump's policy towards Venezuela has been criticized within the context of general news, crime, and justice, with legal advocacy groups like the ACLU filing lawsuits challenging the deportations and questioning the legality of applying the Alien Enemies Act towards a non-enemy country in a traditional sense.
- The Trump administration's foreign policy towards Venezuela is also centered around discouraging war-and-conflicts, as seen in the imposition of economic sanctions, coup attempts, and an oil blockade, along with the 25 percent tariff on all trades dealing with Venezuelan energy resources, aimed at increasing economic pressure on the country.
