Court of Appeals to hear oral arguments in high-profile deportation suit involving Venezuelan nationals

Today, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments assessing whether a lower court can adjudicate the Trump administration’s invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged Tren de Aragua gang members. The administration sought a stay after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s March 15 order halted such deportations to El Salvador for 14 days, arguing it infringes on executive authority. Despite the ruling, a plane carrying hundreds of illegal aliens, including Venezuelans, landed in El Salvador hours later. Boasberg, an Obama appointee, demanded detailed flight information by March 18, which the Justice Department resisted, citing national security and submitting a limited declaration instead. Boasberg deemed this “woefully insufficient” on March 20, escalating tensions. The government contends the district court overreaches, while advocates, including the ACLU, challenge the wartime law’s peacetime use.