White House ignores judicial deportation blocks

The Trump administration deports alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law, defying a court order

Venezuelan deportees from U.S. sent to prison in El Salvador
Venezuelan deportees from US sent to prison in El Salvador
(Image credit: El Salvador Presidency / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)

What happened

The Trump administration said Sunday it had deported dozens of Venezuelans to El Salvador on Saturday under an executive proclamation President Donald Trump quietly signed Friday, claiming wartime powers under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to summarily expel alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The deportations appeared to defy an order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. Another federal judge said Sunday that immigration officials in Boston had apparently "willfully" deported Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese kidney transplant specialist at Brown University with a valid H-1B visa, despite his order blocking her expulsion.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.