Judges Rebuke Trump Use of Alien Enemies Act

Federal judges in New York and Colorado ruled that the Trump administration misapplied the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by using it to deport Venezuelans accused of gang affiliation, stating the Tren de Aragua gang does not constitute an enemy force attacking the U.S. The rulings highlight judicial scrutiny of executive immigration actions and stress that criminal activity is not equivalent to warfare. Separately, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher found the administration violated a legal settlement by deporting Daniel Lozano-Camargo, a 20-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker, before his claim was resolved. Gallagher ordered Lozano-Camargo's return from El Salvador, a directive the administration is resisting. These developments underscore ongoing concerns about due process, the standards for linking migrants to criminal organizations, and the treatment of deportees. Advocates argue many deportees were misidentified as gang members based on superficial evidence.