Trump Appeals to Supreme Court: A Bid to Overturn Block on Venezuelan Deportations

The Trump administration has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to lift an injunction that prevents the deportation of 176 Venezuelan nationals. This request follows a ruling from the Northern District of Texas, which sought to block their removal under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

According to the administration’s filing, these individuals allegedly have ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, which the government argues justifies their deportation. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized the risks posed by detaining suspected gang members, stating that an incident at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility featured 23 migrants who barricaded themselves and threatened hostages. Drone footage from Reuters showed detainees spelling out “SOS” with their bodies amid fears of being sent to El Salvador.

The administration’s effort is in response to an emergency application from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which expressed concerns about due process. In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court temporarily halted removals while the case is under consideration in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued in Monday’s filing that these Venezuelans have proven to be too dangerous to keep in long-term detention, necessitating immediate removal. However, the ACLU warned that lifting the injunction would jeopardize the detainees’ ability to seek judicial review, further asserting that the government’s approach could lead to unlawful removals to a prison in El Salvador, where individuals might be held indefinitely without communication.

The Supreme Court’s response earlier this week allowed the Trump administration to utilize the Alien Enemies Act, but underscored the necessity for due process. Federal judges in various jurisdictions have blocked the use of this wartime law, although a recent ruling in Western Pennsylvania supported its application, providing a minimum of three weeks for individuals to contest their removals. Court documents reveal that the administration maintains that sufficient time to challenge such designations is only about 12 hours.