President Trump has said that he would rely on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 for his mass deportation campaign. Rumors are flying that an announcement on the issue is forthcoming. Invocation of the Act would undoubtedly generate controversy and litigation.
CNN reports that the “Trump administration is expected to invoke a sweeping wartime authority to speed up the president’s mass deportation pledge in the coming days, according to four sources familiar with the discussions.”
CNN previously reported that the authority was being widely discussed at several agencies as administration officials prepared to implement the law. The primary target remains Tren de Aragua (TDA), a Venezuelan organized crime group.
“The Alien Enemies Act has been invoked three times in US history – all during war – according to the Brennan Center. During World Wars I and II, it was used to justify detentions and expulsions of German, Austro-Hungarian, Italian and Japanese immigrants. The law played a role in the infamous US policy of Japanese internment during World War II, according to the non-partisan law and policy institute.”
KJ