US Appeals Court Pauses Due Process Ruling for Venezuelan Deportees in El Salvador

A legal battle is underway over the Trump administration's March deportation of nearly 140 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, which was invoked to target alleged members of the violent gang Tren de Aragua. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled that these deported individuals must be allowed to challenge their detentions, ensuring their right to due process. However, the administration has appealed this ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeking to pause the lower court's order and maintain their deportation actions without immediate judicial interference. The administration defends its actions by asserting national security concerns and presidential authority over immigration and deportation, while critics and courts emphasize the need for legal protections before expulsion. The migrants remain detained in a maximum-security Salvadoran prison, and their lawyers continue to seek orders to bring them back to the U.S. pending legal challenges. This case highlights ongoing tensions between aggressive immigration enforcement policies and judicial mandates for due process rights.