As justification for deporting some immigrants in the country without due process, President Donald Trump has stated that the United States is under invasion. According to a March 15 White House proclamation, the United States is under a predatory incursion by Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based gang that also has a presence in the US. As a result, any person 14 years or older affiliated with Tren de Aragua who doesn’t have US citizenship or permanent residency can be deported using the 1978 Alien Enemies Act. Prior to invoking the law, the US has to be at war or under invasion by a foreign country. However, immigration experts argue that the US is not under such an invasion. A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act for deportations, arguing that this goes against due process. But the Trump administration maintains that the judge’s ruling is unlawful. The Alien Enemies Act allows for people from a hostile nation or government to be detained and deported without a hearing, when the nation is at war with the US or the government has committed an invasion or raid. The Trump administration claims that Tren de Aragua, despite being a gang in Venezuela, should be considered as acting as if the gang is the government. The Act has only been used in previous conflicts such as the War of 1812 and World War I.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/20/fact-check-is-tren-de-aragua-invading-the-us-as-trump-says?traffic_source=rss