Federal Judges Block Alien Enemies Act Deportations Across US

Several federal judges have acted to protect due process rights of immigrants targeted for deportation under President Donald Trump's administration, particularly those labeled as members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under the Alien Enemies Act. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to facilitate habeas corpus petitions for 238 Venezuelan migrants deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, emphasizing they were denied meaningful opportunities to contest their designation and many had no criminal records. Similarly, a judge in California blocked deportations under the same act in the Los Angeles area, citing inadequate notice and due process failures. A separate federal judge in Maryland issued a standing order automatically granting injunctions against deportations in response to habeas petitions to address logistical and procedural difficulties caused by the Trump administration's rapid immigration actions. Additionally, a Colorado judge temporarily blocked the deportation of the family members of a man accused of a firebombing attack, condemning the targeting of relatives for alleged actions of their kin as antithetical to democratic principles. These rulings collectively underscore judicial concerns about the administration's use of a rarely invoked wartime law and its impact on constitutional rights and immigration enforcement practices.