The detention and potential deportation process of migrants has sparked a series of protests in New York. The Foreign Enemies Act, which has not been invoked since World War II, could be used by U.S. President Donald Trump to accelerate mass deportations.
This law, created in 1798, would give the president the authority to detain or deport natives and citizens of other nations without the need for a prior hearing. According to local media reports, Trump is considering invoking this law in an attempt to expedite the deportation process of migrants.
During his inaugural speech, Trump mentioned this law as part of his plan to combat illegal immigration and the presence of foreign gangs in U.S. territory. Although many details are still unknown, it is expected that the application of this law will allow for the deportation of various groups of migrants, including those who do not only come from the southern border with Mexico.
One of the cases that could be affected by this measure is that of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian citizen accused of terrorism for allegedly being linked to Hamas. Despite uncertainty about how the application of the Foreign Enemies Act will be carried out, the possibility of mass deportations has raised concern and discontent across various sectors of society.
