Texas Judge: Trump Overstepped Alien Enemies Act

A federal judge in Texas has ruled that Donald Trump overstepped his authority by using the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport Venezuelan nationals. U.S. District Judge Fernandez Rodriguez found Trump’s claim—that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was “invading” the U.S.—lacked evidence and did not meet the legal definition of an invasion under the AEA.

The judge ruled that the president cannot unilaterally declare an invasion and bypass due process protections using an 18th-century wartime law during peacetime. The decision marks the first full judicial rejection of Trump’s AEA invocation, setting a key legal precedent.

While the Supreme Court has allowed AEA deportations to resume in some cases, it requires due process for those detained—limiting the administration’s power moving forward.

Source: ABC News