The Conversation: Trump is using the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants – but the 18th-century law has been invoked only during times of war

With President Trump removing noncitizens under an executive order invoking the obscure 1798 law, the Alien Enemies Act has been in the news.  Dan Tichenor for The Conversation titled his commentary on the Act in a way that says a lot:  “Trump is using the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants – but the 18th-century law has been invoked only during times of war.”

The bottom line:

“The Alien Enemies Act empowers presidents to apprehend and remove foreign nationals from countries that are at war with the United States. U.S. presidents have issued executive proclamations and invoked this law three times: during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II. All three instances followed Congress declaring war.”

KJ