The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday extended its ban on the deportation of Venezuelan men in immigration custody in northern Texas, sending the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for further review. The Court ruled that the Trump administration cannot proceed with deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798, until legal questions about the removals are resolved.
In an unsigned opinion, the justices directed the Fifth Circuit to determine what legal procedures detainees are entitled to in challenging their deportations. The Court noted that the notice given to detainees by the government in April was inadequate and failed to meet constitutional standards of fair treatment. Specifically, the Court stressed that the detainees were not properly informed about how to contest their deportation.
Background
The legal battle began in March when the Trump administration attempted to deport noncitizens it labeled as members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Citing the Alien Enemies Act, which allows the president to detain or deport nationals of “enemy” nations without judicial review during times of war or national emergency, President Trump issued an executive order declaring that members of the gang were engaging in an “incursion” against the U.S. This order allowed for the deportation of Venezuelan citizens aged 14 and older, designating them as “alien enemies.”
A group of detainees challenged their designation, arguing they had not been given proper notice or a chance to challenge their deportation. The Supreme Court intervened in April, halting the removals and requiring the government to provide detainees with notice and an opportunity to contest their designation.
Legal Developments
In April, the Court temporarily suspended a federal judge’s ruling in favor of the Trump administration, directing that detainees should have filed their lawsuits in Texas, where they were held, not Washington, D.C. The Court also ordered the government to provide the detainees with notice of their removal, including information about how to contest it.
Despite the earlier intervention, the legal fight continued. On April 16, detainees filed another challenge when they received notices of deportation, some of which were in English despite the detainees’ limited proficiency in the language. This led to the case being escalated to the Fifth Circuit and ultimately back to the Supreme Court.
Court’s Decision
In its latest decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fifth Circuit had incorrectly dismissed the detainees’ appeal. The justices emphasized that urgent legal matters could not be ignored, especially when failing to act could result in irreversible harm. They also ruled that the notices provided by the government—given only 24 hours before deportation and lacking critical information on how to challenge the deportation—fell short of constitutional requirements.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred, emphasizing that judicial review before deportation was necessary. In a dissent, Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that the Court had no authority to grant relief as the detainees hadn’t met the legal criteria for emergency relief.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings The Supreme Court’s decision does not resolve whether the detainees can be deported under the Alien Enemies Act, but it instructs lower courts to clarify the legal process for future removals. The case highlights the tension between national security concerns and constitutional protections, with the Fifth Circuit now tasked with determining the proper legal procedures moving forward The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday extended its ban on the deportation of Venezuelan men in immigration custody in northern Texas, sending the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for further review. The Court ruled that the Trump administration cannot proceed with deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798, until legal questions about the removals are resolved.
