Upon his return to office January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump set his focus on detaining illegal immigrants and has since reintroduced and expanded deportation policies. During his first term, the Trump Administration began to create policies specifically to combat recurring undocumented immigrants, as deportation has become a major part of Trump’s overall agenda. April 16, 2025, Federal Judge James Boasberg discovered probable cause to hold the administration in criminal contempt due to a wrongful deportation, and subsequently worked to build a case against the current president.
“I remember when Trump was first in office, there were a lot of actions towards immigration and deportation and it was a really rough time for a lot of Americans. When he returned back to the office, I didn’t expect to see him start back up on his deportation ideas so soon. I am honestly shocked about how quickly he is moving with deportations and how the rest of the government is handling it,” magnet junior Sophie Salomon said.
Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act during March 2025 — an act that allows the president to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy territory — to gain the ability to deport Venezuelan migrants that he viewed as members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The U.S. continues to remain vigilant with individuals originating from Venezuela due to their prior associations with terrorism-related offenses. Though the Supreme Court permitted the administration’s deportation authority, it also ruled that the gang members possessed the chance to challenge any deportation orders legally.
On March 15, 2025, Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order that blocked the use of the Alien Enemies Act in response to due process concerns and the unprecedented use of the law. Boasberg questioned the legal basis of this act because in the past, the U.S. government enforced this act during times of war, different from Trump’s use of the act on modern immigration. On that same day, the administration proceeded with the removals of Venezuelan immigrants, sending three deportation flights to Venezuela, containing over 260 Venezuelans. Despite the federal judge’s order, these deportees ended up in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) upon arrival, which led to significant legal and constitutional debates within the court. Just over a month after this dilemma, Boasberg officially reported probable cause.
“The [Supreme] Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt. The Court does not reach such a conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory,” Boasberg said.
After the announcement of probable cause, Trump’s legal team decided to take this issue to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling April 8, 2025, which led to a majority vote that allowed the administration to temporarily resume deportations, but with specific conditions. In addition, the court stated that the administration must present a notice to migrants and provide them a chance to challenge their deportation and that cases must stay filed in the district where the individuals remain. Although the court did not fully approve of Trump’s actions, it blocked Boasberg’s current restraining order.
Although Trump did not face any official charges, the administration and the press continued to face problems surrounding the issue. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and civil rights groups have continued to fight this issue, voicing their beliefs and calling the deportations unconstitutional. The administration also receives legal scrutiny and may face contempt hearings based on how it responds to the court’s requests. Due to an emergency appeal by the ACLU, which argued that detainees did not receive due process, April 18, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary halt on the Trump administration’s deportation of Venezuelan immigrants. One specific event, the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, significantly rose in controversy as numerous politicians believed the deportation as illegal. The Supreme Court handled this issue by ruling that the administration must facilitate Garcia’s return, but this incident led to additional international and domestic tensions. Further statements on this case remain unavailable from both Trump and the courts, but Venezuelan migrants and U.S. citizens await new information on the case.
