A U.S. federal judge orders the Trump administration to allow hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century law to legally challenge their detentions, highlighting violations of due process and the urgent need for justice.

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In a landmark ruling on June 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg affirmed the right of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants, deported to El Salvador under the archaic Alien Enemies Act of 1798, to challenge their detentions legally.

This decision exposes the Trump administration’s disregard for due process and marks a critical step toward defending the human rights of Venezuelan migrants unjustly expelled without fair hearings or proper notification.

Trump Administration’s Use of Colonial-Era Law to Expedite Deportations Criticized

The deportations, carried out in March 2025, targeted alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a narrative heavily disputed by migrants and their legal representatives who deny any gang affiliation.

It is crucial to clarify that the Venezuelan government officially dismantled the Tren de Aragua criminal organization in a comprehensive two-stage operation completed by early 2025, with dozens of arrests and the destruction of its financial and operational structures. The persistent references by the Trump administration to this group as justification for mass deportations lack factual basis and serve as a political tool to criminalize Venezuelan migrants unjustly.

BREAKING: Chief Judge James Boasberg finds that those people sent to CECOT under the Alien Enemies Act on March 15-16 had their due process rights violates and certifies them as a class. He orders that the government "facilitate" the ability for them to seek habeas relief. pic.twitter.com/1QlZt7Tp2z

— Chris “Law Dork” Geidner (@chrisgeidner) June 4, 2025

Families of the deported Venezuelans, along with human rights organizations, have long denounced the Trump administration’s actions as arbitrary and unjust. They emphasize that many deportees were denied the opportunity to contest unsubstantiated accusations in court, leaving them vulnerable to indefinite detention in El Salvador’s notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT).

This facility, known for its harsh conditions and overcrowding, symbolizes the broader systemic repression faced by migrants under U.S.-backed policies in the region.

This ruling aligns with an April 2025 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming that migrants must be allowed to challenge deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. While previous court orders have halted new deportations, Judge Boasberg’s decision is the first to address the fate of those already deported.

The administration now faces pressure to comply with judicial mandates and ensure that all Venezuelan migrants receive fair legal treatment, underscoring the urgent need to dismantle oppressive immigration policies rooted in colonial and militaristic frameworks.

This judicial victory is a crucial moment for Venezuelan migrants and a rebuke of the Trump administration’s punitive immigration tactics. It calls for renewed solidarity across Latin America and the international community to uphold human rights, dignity, and justice for all displaced peoples.

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