LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The Supreme Court has ruled the Trump administration can continue with deportations under a wartime power, at least for now.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
It threw out a lower court's ruling to temporarily stop the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. President Trump invoked it last month, arguing that Venezuelan gang members in the U.S. constitute a, quote, "invasion." Attorneys for the men deported say the use of this act at a time of peace is illegal. They and family members of the men deported also say many of those being deported have no criminal history in the U.S. or their country of origin.
FADEL: Joining us now to break this all down is NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd. Good morning.
JASMINE GARSD, BYLINE: Good morning.
FADEL: So, Jasmine, explain this decision. Is the Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the Trump administration using this act?
GARSD: So the court's conservative majority didn't rule on the constitutionality of using the Alien Enemies Act to send migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Instead, the justices issued a narrow procedural ruling saying that the migrants' lawyers had filed their lawsuit in the wrong court. When the Trump administration invoked this act - the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime power - the ACLU challenged it, saying it's not legal. It denies people the right to fight the allegations in court.
FADEL: So what does this mean for the administration's immigration crackdown?
GARSD: So the Supreme Court backed the Trump administration. In other words, it gave it the green light to continue using the act in order to rapidly deport alleged gang members. But it also made clear that officials must give migrants adequate notice that they're being removed under the Alien Enemies Act so that they have time to challenge it.
FADEL: And how is the decision being received?
GARSD: The Trump administration is celebrating this as a landmark victory. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that this was a victory and they will continue implementing the act. Immigration advocates I spoke to are all very concerned. I mean, the act is designed to move the deportation process so rapidly, it's questionable how much of a chance detainees can actually have to defend themselves. And that's especially concerning given how, at this point, it's been well-documented that not all of the men being deported under these gang allegations actually have ties to gangs. There's been allegations of people just being picked up because they have a random tattoo of a soccer club.
FADEL: OK, so a lot of concern around due process there. And there was another legal win for the Trump administration yesterday at the Supreme Court related to the wrongful deportation of a Maryland dad who was sent to this prison in El Salvador. Tell us about that.
GARSD: Right, you're talking about Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. He's lived in Maryland for over 10 years. He had a form of legal protection that protected him from deportation. But last month, he was detained and sent to El Salvador. And the government says his deportation was, quote, "an administrative error." The Trump administration does contend he's a gang member. A federal judge said the government has presented no credible evidence that he was ever in a gang. In fact, he has no criminal record in any country. And a judge ordered the Justice Department to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. Now, this went all the way up to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Roberts temporarily blocked the order to return Abrego Garcia while the full court considers what to do next.
FADEL: NPR's Jasmine Garsd. Thank you, Jasmine.
GARSD: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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