Key Takeaways:

• Federal judges in New York and Texas have temporarily blocked the deportation of Venezuelans accused of gang membership under the Alien Enemies Act.
• The judges ruled that migrants must receive due process and the opportunity to contest their removal in court.
• Legal challenges by the ACLU and civil rights lawyers are ongoing, seeking broader protections for detained migrants.

In a significant legal decision, U.S. District Judges in Texas and New York have issued temporary orders that prevent the deportation of five Venezuelan men detained under allegations of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, citing the need for proper legal proceedings. These rulings emerge in the aftermath of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, but mandated that detainees must be afforded due process, including the right to argue their case in a courtroom.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein, presiding over the New York case, stated, “It seems to me that people need to be protected,” emphasizing the need for hearings before deportation takes place. His ruling specifically affects individuals detained in the Southern District of New York. Meanwhile, Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. addressed cases in Texas, notably those being held at the El Valle Detention Center, where conditions and access to necessary medical care for detainees, including an HIV-positive individual, have raised concerns.

The U.S. government has moved to utilize the Alien Enemies Act as a justification for expedited deportations amid claims of an ongoing “invasion” by Venezuelan gangs. The ACLU argues that this application of the law is unlawful, especially since the United States is not engaged in war with Venezuela, questioning the legality of deporting individuals under such claims.

With recent deportations already sending over 100 Venezuelans to notorious detention facilities without the opportunity to contest their status, these developments signal a critical moment in the ongoing legal battles surrounding immigration policy and the rights of noncitizens.

The situation continues to evolve, with the ACLU and legal advocates pushing for a nationwide challenge against the use of the Alien Enemies Act to ensure that all detainees receive necessary legal protections while their cases are adjudicated.

For more details, read the article from HuffPost and New York Times.