Trump Defies Court Order, Deports 238 Venezuelan Gang Members

6 hours ago 11

March 17, 2025 | 01:11 pm

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, United States, March 4, 2025. Reuters/Win McNamee

TEMPO.COJakarta - The Trump administration has deported over 200 individuals suspected of being members of the Venezuela gang from the United States. Trump opposed the court order that blocked the deportation, stating that a judge did not have the authority to halt his actions.

The deportation operation followed Judge James Boasberg's move to block the use of wartime authority under the Foreign Enemy Act by President Donald Trump. This authority allowed the US to swiftly deport over 200 individuals suspected of being part of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang associated with kidnapping, extortion, and hired killings

"A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft ... full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement cited by Reuters.

She stated that the court lacked legal basis, and federal courts generally do not have jurisdiction over how a president conducts foreign affairs.

During a Saturday night hearing, Judge James Boasberg blocked the use of the foreign enemy law for 14 days, stating that the law referred to hostile actions by another country equivalent to war. Boasberg said that all flights carrying migrants processed under the law must return to the US.

The next day, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele uploaded a video on social media showing several men being pushed off a plane in the dark of night, escorted by a large security force.

"Oopsie... Too late," Bukele wrote above a headline, "Fed judge orders deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gangbangers to return to the US."

Bukele followed his remark with a laughing-crying emoji. His statement was reshared by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also expressed gratitude for Bukele's "assistance and friendship."

In her statement, Leavitt said, "the written order and the Administration's actions do not conflict" and that courts have "generally have no jurisdiction" over the president's "powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion."

Trump has referred to Venezuelan individuals as gang members, monsters, or foreign terrorists. Reuters has not independently verified whether these individuals are affiliated with gangs or have criminal records.  

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Salvadoran government did not respond to requests for comment, while the State Department declined to comment.  

In court documents filed on Sunday, the Trump administration acknowledged that some Venezuelan nationals had been deported before the judge's order took effect but did not disclose further details.

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