The American president, Donald Trump, decided to accelerate the mass deportations of members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua, invoking the Foreign Enemies Act of 1798 to support his measure. According to the president, Tren de Aragua represents a threat to the United States, describing them as a hostile force acting under the Venezuelan government.
Trump's executive order states that all Venezuelans over the age of 14 who are part of Tren de Aragua, are in U.S. territory without being naturalized or legal permanent residents, can be detained, held, and expelled as foreign enemies.
In the midst of this, a federal judge in Washington issued a temporary injunction against the government to deport five Venezuelans, adding tension to the legal debate regarding Trump's intentions. The American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit on behalf of the affected Venezuelans, obtaining a 14-day temporary restraining order to prevent their immediate deportation.
The Trump administration appealed this initial injunction, arguing that halting a presidential measure before its announcement would undermine executive power. In its defense, it indicated that allowing these obstacles would create dangerous precedents for its ability to make swift decisions on national security matters. The White House, for its part, has designated Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization and plans to transfer hundreds of alleged members to a detention center in El Salvador.
