The U.S. Supreme Court stepped in early Saturday to halt the deportation of Venezuelan detainees who are accused of being part of a foreign gang. This decision came after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) raised concerns that these men faced imminent removal to a prison in El Salvador.
In a brief unsigned order, the Supreme Court instructed the government to refrain from deporting any of the detainees until the court issues further guidance. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito were the only dissenters in this decision.
The ACLU had been active in multiple courts on Friday, seeking to delay the deportations. They argued that many detainees were being transported to an airport for removal. During a hearing, Drew C. Ensign, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice, informed Judge James E. Boasberg that while there were no immediate plans to deport anyone that day, the government retained the right to proceed with deportations.
The ACLU’s emergency appeal followed reports of Venezuelan detainees being moved to the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas, where they were allegedly told they would be deported soon. Last month, the Trump administration had already sent hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador, where they are currently held in a notorious mega-prison known as the Terrorism Confinement Center. Families of those deported have claimed that many of them are not gang members.
This legal battle is significant as it challenges the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation strategies. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the administration’s wartime authority to deport could continue, but immigrants must be given proper notice and a chance to present their cases while detained.
Despite Judge Boasberg’s earlier order to pause deportations, reports indicated that planes were still sent to El Salvador, where over 200 detainees remain imprisoned. The Trump administration has stated that once individuals are outside U.S. jurisdiction, it becomes challenging to bring them back.
ACLU attorney Lee Gelerent expressed that deporting these individuals without due process would violate the Supreme Court’s ruling. The case began in Texas when the ACLU sought to stop the removal of two individuals who had not been given a chance to contest their deportation. After a denial from Judge Wesley Hendrix, the ACLU escalated the matter to the U.S. Court of Appeals and ultimately to the Supreme Court.
Detainees at Bluebonnet have reported being labeled as members of Tren de Aragua and being pressured to sign removal notices in English. Many insisted they are ordinary individuals and not gang members, raising serious concerns about the fairness of the deportation process.
This situation highlights the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s immigration policies and the legal rights of individuals facing deportation, as families and advocates continue to fight for justice and due process in these cases.