The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily paused the deportation of immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act, drawing criticism from conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
What Happened: Early on Saturday morning, the Supreme Court issued a brief order halting deportations under the 18th-century law, which the Donald Trump administration had invoked to remove a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Texas, reported CNN.
The immigrants, fearing imminent deportation, filed an emergency appeal, claiming they had not been given proper notice or a chance to challenge their removal.
The court did not explain its decision but directed the Trump administration to respond after a federal appeals court in Louisiana reviews the case. The court's order stated that no members of the “putative class of detainees” could be removed until further instructions from the court.
Justice Alito and Justice Thomas dissented from the order. Alito questioned the need for the court's involvement, while Thomas expressed concern over the potential implications of halting the removals.
Why It’s Important: The case stems from a challenge to the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, which allows the government to bypass normal immigration procedures and remove individuals from the country.
In a prior ruling, the Supreme Court had allowed the administration to proceed with deportations under the Act but required the government to provide notice and allow detainees to challenge their removal in court.
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