The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary order blocking the deportation of Venezuelan migrants being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in northern Texas. The ruling came in response to an emergency appeal from the ACLU, which argued that the individuals had not been given a fair chance to challenge their deportation in court.
The deportations were being carried out under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798, invoked by the Trump administration in March 2025 to justify swift removal of Venezuelans alleged to have gang affiliations, specifically with the Tren de Aragua. The administration claims the individuals are national security threats.
Two justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, dissented, criticizing the Court’s intervention as rushed and lacking sufficient factual review or input from the federal government.
The ACLU cited evidence suggesting detainees were at risk of imminent deportation, potentially to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, raising concern about human rights violations. Lower courts had previously ruled that deportations under the AEA must include due process, but no such ruling had yet applied to the region covering Bluebonnet.
Federal judges in Texas have declined to intervene, prompting the ACLU to seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court. The Biden-appointed Judge James Boasberg, who had earlier issued a nationwide halt on similar removals, stated he lacked jurisdiction over Bluebonnet.
The Justice Department claims deportations would allow at least 24 hours for legal challenge. However, immigration lawyers and families of detainees reported that removal efforts were already underway. The administration is expected to return to the Supreme Court to request lifting the temporary ban.
Reference:
Quinn, Melissa. Montoya-Galvez, Camilo. “Supreme Court temporarily blocks new deportations under Alien Enemies Act” CBS News. April 20, 2025
