Trump invokes sweeping wartime authority to target members of Venezuelan gang

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated 4:38 PM EDT, Sat March 15, 2025


CNN — The Trump administration Saturday invoked a sweeping wartime authority, which has been used only three times before, to speed up the deportations of migrants affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

The little-known 18th-century law, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, gives the president tremendous authority to target and remove undocumented immigrants. The law is designed to be invoked if the US is at war with another country, or a foreign nation has invaded the US or threatened to do so. For that reason, legal experts have argued it would face an uphill battle in court.

In a presidential proclamation, released Saturday, the White House cited its designation of Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, saying many of them have “unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.”

The proclamation calls for all those subject to the measure to be immediately arrested, detained, and removed.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/15/politics/trump-invokes-wartime-authorities-alien-enemies-act/index.html

---

Just breaking - heard on local CBS radio.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Color me surprised if TSF goes after The Latin Kings thereafter . . . . .

[NotHardly]

3. I'm sure there is a 'list', a lot of lists. We're all NEXT.

[msongs]

2. trump/musk/ "conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States."

against the United States.”

[FakeNoose]

4. So, NOW we're at war with Venezuela?

Does Congress know, and did they vote for it?

[angrychair]

5. Thank you for this Bum

This is far more significant than people realize because this is the infliction point when it all starts to change.
If you think this is the end of it you are mistaken. This is just the beginning of him using this power to tighten his grip on the nation.

[Eugene]

6. At least one court saw this coming.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143418692

Judge blocks Trump from deporting 5 Venezuelans in anticipation of administration invoking wartime law (Politico)

The court acted pre-emptively.

[mountain grammy]

7. Wow!

[Botany]

9. Tren de Aragua Is not a problem compared to Musk's boys being in Social Security

This is part of his fascist take over.

[ancianita]

10. He tried. But he's failed. Yesterday DC District James E. Boasberg stopped him.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1322&pid=65045

[BumRushDaShow]

11. But then they laughed (literally) at the order and kept on going anyway

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143419120

[ancianita]

13. Damn. That's a dare. Wonder what he'll do now. Fast track to the SCOTUS??

[PassingFair]

12. 250 already on their way to El Salvador

Trump administration deports hundreds of migrants, despite judge's order stopping removal

[Martin Eden]

14. Trump would use this to abuse and deport immigrants of all stripes, just by accusing them of being Tren de Aragua.

Just as he is already abusing the powers of his office in multiple areas, whether he has the Constitutional authority or not.

[ancianita]

15. Looks as if the Defendants have filed a Notice To The Court today.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/19/jgg-v-trump/


UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


J.G.G., et al., Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00766

Plaintiffs-Petitioners,

v.

DONALD J. TRUMP, in his official
capacity as President of the United States,
et al.,

Defendants-Respondents.


NOTICE TO THE COURT

For the reasons explained on the record, Federal Defendants object to this Court’s assertion

of jurisdiction, including over the President’s exercise of powers vested in him by Article

II. Subject to that objection, Federal Defendants were promptly notified of the Court’s temporary

restraining order issued in the morning and the 7:26 PM EDT minute order that temporarily

enjoined any removals pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation. Federal Defendants have sought

emergency appellate relief from the D.C. Circuit as to both orders; the Court of Appeals has now

ordered expedited briefing on both motions. The five individual Plaintiffs that were the subject of

the first TRO have not been removed.

Going forward, and in the absence of appellate relief, Federal Defendants will continue to

protect the United States using authorities other than the Proclamation. Federal Defendants further

report, based on information from the Department of Homeland Security, that some gang members

subject to removal under the Proclamation had already been removed from United States territory

under the Proclamation before the issuance of this Court’s second order.




Respectfully Submitted,

PAMELA J. BONDI
U.S. Attorney General

TODD BLANCHE
Deputy Attorney General

EMIL BOVE
Principal Associate Deputy
Attorney General

CHAD MIZELLE
Acting Associate Attorney General

YAAKOV M. ROTH
Acting Assistant Attorney General

s/ Drew C. Ensign
DREW C. ENSIGN
Deputy Assistant Attorney General
950 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20530
Phone: [phone]
e-Mail: [e-mail]

AUGUST E. FLENTJE
Acting Director

EREZ REUVENI
Assistant Director

BRIAN C. WARD
Acting Assistant Director

CHRISTINA P. GREER
Senior Litigation Counsel

PATRICK GLEN
Senior Litigation Counsel