Venezuelan Migrants Face Imminent Deportation Under Alien Enemies Act

Dozens of Venezuelan migrants detained at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Texas have received notices stating they face imminent deportation under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime law from 1798 recently invoked by the Trump administration. The administration claims the migrants are members of the Tren de Aragua gang, though many detainees deny such ties and allege they have been denied due process. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed emergency motions in federal court to block these removals and is seeking class action status to protect a broader group of migrants. The U.S. Supreme Court previously ruled that the administration must provide notice to affected migrants and allow them to challenge their deportations, but it did not specify how much notice is required. Legal advocates and families accuse the administration of bypassing standard immigration procedures and warn of the law’s controversial history, including its use for mass internments during World War II. The situation remains in flux as courts consider the legality and scope of these deportations.