Supreme Court Blocks Venezuelan Deportations Amid Legal Tussle

The Supreme Court temporarily blocked deportations of Venezuelans detained in Texas under a centuries-old law. The ACLU claims immigration authorities sought to restart these deportations, prompting legal action. The contentious Alien Enemies Act was previously invoked during wartime, raising concerns about due legal process for detainees.

The Supreme Court on Saturday issued a temporary block on the deportation of Venezuelans detained in northern Texas, challenging the Trump administration's attempt to expel them under a law dating back to the 18th century.

The emergency appeal, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that immigration authorities were poised to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport individuals without adequate legal proceedings. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the decision to delay these deportations.

The ACLU's swift legal action follows attempts to restart deportations, despite previous Supreme Court mandates ensuring detainees could argue their cases before removal. This century-old law was last invoked during World War II, when Japanese-Americans were interned—a parallel not lost on critics of its current application.

(With inputs from agencies.)