An executive order signed by President Trump over the weekend greenlit deportation flights carrying Venezuelan nationals accused without evidence of having gang ties.
The flights took off using an obscure wartime authority called the Alien Enemies Act.
William Banks is a Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs who specializes in military issues. He says the law was created in the 1790s, when the U.S. worried past conflict between Native American tribes and France could spill over to the new government. It has only reemerged during World War I and World War II.
“So for the Trump administration to raise it now, and to try to use that authority to try to deal with a criminal gang is pretty far-fetched. So the roadmap is unprecedented,” he said. “It’s quite rare and if the administration digs in its heels on the use of this authority and maintain that whatever the judge says they’re going to forward with the operation, then we have a crisis.”
Under the executive order, Venezuelans accused of having gang ties were stripped of due process and swiftly flown to El Salvador — despite an order from a judge barring the flight.
The ACLU has since announced legal action questioning whether the flight defied court orders.
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Four people have been wounded or killed in ICE shootings across the county this month — including US citizen Renee Good, who died in Minneapolis after an ICE agent shot into her car’s front window. -
In a post, the State Department called Mexico’s progress on border security “unacceptable.” Meanwhile, Mexico’s president is calling on the United States to do more to stop the flow of firearms into her country. -
Northern Arizona University officials say they’re halting plans for a College of Medicine amid economic uncertainty. -
In a press release this week, city officials say they’re closely monitoring the situation of other cities — where the Trump administration has sent National Guard troops without requests from local or state governments. -
Arizona is considering pumping water from a desalination plant on the Gulf of California to boost its water supply, but would need buy-in from Mexico.
