A US federal judge has dealt a blow to efforts to expedite deportations of Venezuelan migrants under a centuries-old law, ruling Monday that individuals must be afforded due process before removal. The decision blocks the Trump administration’s attempt to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — a wartime statute — to bypass hearings for migrants, marking another legal hurdle for its immigration agenda.
Critics argued the law, last used during World War II, was being misinterpreted to target migrants without ties to hostile nations. The judge’s refusal to lift an injunction against its application underscores growing judicial scrutiny of immigration policies seen as eroding legal safeguards.
The ruling comes amid heightened enforcement measures, including increased vetting of green card and visa holders for political affiliations. Analysts say tensions between executive authority and judicial oversight will likely intensify as similar cases progress.
