In a significant legal intervention, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary order early Saturday morning to suspend the removal of Venezuelan detainees who are accused under a wartime law of being foreign gang members. This decision comes after the ACLU raised concerns that these men faced imminent deportation to a notorious El Salvadoran prison known for its harsh conditions.
The Supreme Court’s unsigned order explicitly states, “The Government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court.” Dissenting opinions were voiced by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
This judicial action highlights the ongoing tensions between the Supreme Court and the Trump administration regarding deportation practices. It indicates a significant lack of trust among most justices in the ability of Trump officials to comply with prior court directives, which affirmed the right of detainees to a hearing before any deportation could occur.
On Friday, the ACLU filed emergency petitions across multiple courts, pleading for a halt to the removal of Venezuelan detainees. They argued that there were indications from government sources that these individuals were being taken to an airport for immediate deportation. Drew C. Ensign, a lawyer representing the U.S. Department of Justice, informed U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg in Washington, D.C., during a Friday hearing that there were no current plans to deport anyone by plane to El Salvador on Friday or Saturday, yet the administration retained the right to proceed with deportations.
Despite Boasberg’s previous order to temporarily halt removals, reports emerged indicating that the Trump administration had already sent deportation flights to El Salvador. These flights transported hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants who were labeled as members of Tren de Aragua, a gang, and they are now being detained in the Terrorism Confinement Center, a mega-prison known for poor conditions. Families of these detainees insist that their loved ones are not affiliated with any gangs.
The deportations represent a larger, critical legal conflict surrounding President Trump’s stringent immigration policies and the authority he wields in this realm. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that while the Trump administration could invoke wartime authority as per the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, it must also provide immigrants with proper notice and allow them to challenge their deportation cases.
ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “If these people are removed to a foreign prison, perhaps for the rest of their lives, without any due process, it would be in clear violation of the Supreme Court’s opinion.”
The ACLU’s case traces back to a Texas federal court, where they sought intervention on behalf of two individuals who had not been afforded the opportunity to contest their deportations. When federal Judge Wesley Hendrix denied this initial request, the ACLU sought to gather more information, which led to new revelations about further individuals being held. By Friday, after receiving reports of imminent removals, ACLU lawyers escalated the situation, ultimately requesting the Supreme Court’s intervention after a lack of response from other judicial levels.
Justice Alito, the circuit justice for the 5th Circuit, would typically be the first to address such emergency appeals. However, it appeared he did not act promptly enough to prevent further deportations, which resulted in Chief Justice John G. Roberts and six other justices issuing an intervention without his involvement.
Reports from detained individuals reveal troubling details about the process at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas. Detainees have claimed that officials were informing them of their upcoming removals while pushing them to sign notices written in English, based on allegations of connections to Tren de Aragua. In a TikTok video sent by one detainee to his wife, they describe an atmosphere of fear and coercion, claiming that detainees are being labeled as terrorist threats without proper justification.
Another detainee recounted being presented a notice of removal to sign but was told that they would be deported regardless of whether they complied. This alarming information has drawn attention to the potential violations of due process involved in the enforcement of Trump’s immigration policies.
As families of the detainees continue to voice their concerns for their loved ones, the legal battle surrounding the deportations appears far from over. With numerous Venezuelans still being held in El Salvador, where they face an uncertain future and harsh prison conditions, the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling could shape the administration’s immigration enforcement approach in the coming weeks.
Despite the government’s assurances that no immediate deportations were scheduled, the ACLU maintains vigilance as the stakes remain high for the Venezuelan detainees, who could potentially face dire consequences if the administration moves forward without due process.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-18/venezuelans
