Trump defies court order, deports over 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador
by By AFPThe Trump administration has deported more than 200 Venezuelans to a high-security prison in El Salvador, despite a federal judge ordering their return to the United States, Reuters reported.
In a statement, the White House denied defying the court order while simultaneously asserting its right to ignore it. "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 US soil," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The controversy stems from President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked 18th-century law. The law, infamous for its role in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, allows for the detention and removal of individuals from enemy nations.
Trump attempted to apply this law to rapidly deport alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang linked to violent crimes such as kidnapping and extortion.
However, on Saturday evening, US District Judge James Boasberg issued a ruling temporarily blocking the administration from using the law for deportations.
He argued that the statute applies only to "hostile acts" by a foreign country comparable to war.
Boasberg ordered that any flights carrying Venezuelan migrants under the law be redirected back to the US, with his written order filed at 7:25 pm.
But by that time, the deportations had already taken place. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele reacted on X (formerly Twitter) with a mocking post: "Oopsie... Too late," alongside a laughing emoji.
The post referenced a headline about the judge’s order and was later shared by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who thanked Bukele for his "assistance and friendship."
The Trump administration acknowledged in a court filing on Sunday that "some" Venezuelans had already been deported before the judge’s order but did not specify how many.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has challenged the administration’s use of the law, is now demanding assurances that no migrants were removed in violation of the order.
"If anyone was turned over to a foreign government after the court's order, then we would hope that the United States government would work with that foreign government to get the individuals back," said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt.
The US Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Salvadoran government have not responded to requests for comment.
According to Bukele, the 238 deported men—alleged members of Tren de Aragua—have been transferred to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a massive high-security prison capable of holding 40,000 inmates. Their detention is set for one year, though the term could be extended.