In brief
The U.S. Justice Department is pushing back against a court order that demands due process for Venezuelan immigrants who were deported to El Salvador without hearings, escalating the ongoing immigration conflict.
June 10, 2025, 4:48 p.m. ET — The Trump administration has filed an emergency request with a federal appeals court to halt a lower court's ruling that mandates providing due process to Venezuelan immigrants deported under a contentious wartime law. The Justice Department's request, which was submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, comes just before a deadline for outlining a plan for the nearly 140 Venezuelans who face expulsion challenges.These individuals were deported back on March 15, using a rarely enforced statute known as the Alien Enemies Act, designated for declared wars or invasions. This action resulted in their detention at the high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador, after being accused of affiliation with the violent Tren de Aragua gang.This case is emblematic of the many ongoing legal battles against the Trump administration's push to streamline immigration deportations, often leading to questions about the legality of their actions. Throughout the legal process, judges have generally maintained that deportees should be granted essential due process rights, a position reiterated by Federal District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg, who initially attempted to halt the deportation flights themselves.After arriving in El Salvador, the deported Venezuelans' legal representation sought to have them returned to the U.S. Consequently, Judge Boasberg ordered the administration to provide the due process the individuals were denied, yet left it to the government to suggest how to implement this directive. The outcome of this legal confrontation remains crucial as it could set a precedent affecting future immigration cases.
