The US Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump to immediately invoke the Alien Enemy Act, a 1798 law that grants emergency powers to deport people. This decision is a major victory for the White House, enabling immigration officials to speed up removals while lawsuits against its use continue in lower courts. The court’s unsigned ruling requires that deported individuals receive notice that they’re subject to the law and have their removal reviewed by the federal court where they’re being held.
The decision came after US District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked Trump from enforcing the Alien Enemy Act against five Venezuelan citizens. The Supreme Court overturned this ruling, granting Trump’s request. The court’s three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor stating that the Trump administration’s conduct poses an “extraordinary threat to the rule of law.” Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined Sotomayor’s dissent in part, questioning whether habeas claims should be the only way to challenge deportation under the law.
The ruling requires that immigrants be given “a reasonable time” to file habeas corpus complaints, which challenge illegal detention by the government. This move has significant implications for immigrants facing deportation, as it allows them to contest their removal in court. However, the Trump administration’s crackdown on Palestinian supporters continues, with over 400 international students, including Pakistanis, having their visas revoked at US universities for alleged involvement in anti-Israel activities.
The Trump administration has made it clear that it will not issue visas to those who vandalize or cause chaos at universities. Trump praised the ruling, calling it “a great day for justice in America.” Administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstyne Noem, also praised the decision, with Bondi calling it a “historic victory for the rule of law.” The ruling highlights the ongoing debate over immigration policies and the limits of executive power in the United States.
