Supreme Court Upholds Block on Trump: Cannot Use Wartime Law to Deport Venezuelans

• Supreme Court Halts Trump’s Attempt to Use Wartime Law
• Trump Furious After Supreme Court Ruling
• Deportation Block Remains in Place

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday to uphold the block preventing President Donald Trump from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants accused of criminal ties.

The decision keeps the measure suspended while the case is reviewed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

It marks a significant setback for Trump’s hardline immigration policy, which sought to expedite deportations under legislation historically reserved for times of war.

This was reported by EFE.

Supreme Court Halts Trump’s Attempt to Use Wartime Law

Trump’s furious reaction after Supreme Court ruling that protects Venezuelans
https://t.co/mYK5a27n1i
— La Patilla (@la_patilla), May 16, 2025

The legal battle could set a precedent regarding the scope of executive power in immigration matters.

Trump had asked the Supreme Court to authorize the immediate expulsion of more than 200 Venezuelans detained in Texas, whom he accuses of being members of the criminal gang Tren de Aragua.

The Court denied the request and maintained the suspension of the deportations while litigation proceeds in lower courts.

On his platform Truth Social, the president reacted angrily: “THE SUPREME COURT WON’T LET US REMOVE CRIMINALS FROM OUR COUNTRY!” he wrote in all caps.

Key Details

Supreme Court upholds veto blocking Trump from using wartime law to deport Venezuelans
#NTelemicro5 #EveningNewsNT5 #DonaldTrump #Venezuelans
https://t.co/HGsMDQmuhC
— Noticias Telemicro (@NTelemicro5), May 16, 2025

The Republican administration argued that the country is facing an “invasion” and therefore resorted to the Alien Enemies Act—used in wartime—to expedite deportations of accused migrants.

However, human rights advocates argue that most detainees have no criminal records and that the policy is unconstitutional.

Trump’s administration also transferred some of these migrants to the Cecot maximum-security prison in El Salvador, under a bilateral agreement. According to independent reports, many detainees lack conclusive evidence against them.

The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the ongoing tension between the Executive and Judiciary over the limits of extraordinary immigration enforcement powers.

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