Trump Administration Deports Immigrants Despite Court Order

The United States has deported more than 200 Venezuelans accused by the White House of gang ties to El Salvador’s supermax prison, despite a federal judge’s ruling blocking their removal, BBC reported. 

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed on social media that 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and 23 MS-13 members arrived in the country on Sunday. However, neither the US nor El Salvador has provided proof of their alleged gang affiliations.

On Saturday evening, US District Judge James Boasberg ordered a 14-day halt on deportations under Trump’s Alien Enemies Act proclamation, but flights had already taken off. President Bukele mocked the ruling online, writing, "Oopsie... Too late."

President Donald Trump invoked a rarely used law from 1798, the Alien Enemies Act, to justify the deportations. The law, last used during World War II, allows the president to remove foreign nationals during wartime. Trump claimed Tren de Aragua was leading an "invasion" of the US.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other rights groups have criticized the move, arguing that it bypasses legal protections and unfairly targets Venezuelan migrants. Venezuela’s government also condemned Trump’s decision, calling it a violation of human rights.

The deportations are part of Trump’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration. Earlier this year, he labeled Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as terrorist organizations and promised to carry out the largest deportation effort in US history. 

While illegal border crossings have dropped to their lowest levels in decades, Trump has reportedly been frustrated by the slow pace of deportations.