U.S. District Judge James Boasberg recently ordered an immediate stop to deportation flights initiated by the Trump administration, a decision that has drawn criticism from the White House. The order was aimed at reviewing the legality of President Donald Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows for the deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing. This act has only been invoked thrice in the United States' history, during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.
In a response to the court order, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated:
"The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after [Tren de Aragua] aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory,"
"The written order and the Administration’s actions do not conflict."
Leavitt further explained that the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that federal courts generally do not have jurisdiction over the President's conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion.
In her own words:
"A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil."
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele also responded to the order by stating:
"Oopsie… too late,"
He shared footage of the deported individuals, alleged to be members of a criminal organization, being escorted by Salvadorean authorities upon their arrival in Central America.
A total of 261 individuals were deported from the U.S. to El Salvador - 137 through the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, 101 Venezuelans removed via Title 8, and another 21 were Salvadoran MS-13 gang members. Two others were identified as MS-13 ringleaders and classified as "special cases" by El Salvador.
In a separate issue, Senator Whitehouse urged his colleagues to "get back on the field and start scoring some runs," though the context of this statement is not provided in the provided text.
There is a broad spectrum of opinions on the issue of deportation and immigration more broadly, and the Trump administration's actions have been met with both support and criticism. However, the final legal adjudication of these matters often rests with the courts.