Overview

• U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. issued a permanent injunction against using the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang in the Southern District of Texas.
• The ruling stated that the AEA, a wartime statute, cannot be invoked without evidence of an organized, armed invasion or war involving Venezuela.
• The Department of Justice argued that only the President can determine whether the AEA's conditions are met, signaling plans to appeal the decision to higher courts.
• The Supreme Court had previously issued a temporary block on AEA deportations, requiring notice and due process, and related lawsuits continue across the country.
• The administration has faced criticism over deportations to El Salvador with limited hearings, raising concerns about due process and misidentification.