The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily halted the Trump administration from deporting migrants to El Salvador, issuing an early morning directive on April 19 that grants the affected individuals a chance to challenge their removal.
The decision impacts a group of detainees currently being held in a detention center in North Texas. These individuals were facing deportation under the Alien Enemies Act—a wartime law from the 18th century originally enacted in the 1790s.
The high court’s statement noted: “An application has been filed on behalf of a proposed class of detainees seeking to prevent their removal under the Alien Enemies Act. The matter is presently under review by the Fifth Circuit Court.”
It continued: “Pending further order of this Court, the government is prohibited from deporting any member of this proposed class.”
The statement also highlighted a split in opinion among the justices, with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito voicing their opposition to the Court’s action. Justice Alito is expected to release a formal dissenting statement.
The Trump administration had relied on the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act—a statute also cited during World War II to justify the internment of Japanese, German, and Italian nationals—when it began deporting hundreds of migrants to El Salvador. On March 15, despite a temporary block issued by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, deportation flights proceeded.
The facility receiving these individuals is El Salvador’s infamous CECOT (Center for Terrorism Confinement), which has drawn international criticism for its harsh conditions and has been labeled one of the world’s most brutal prisons.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the administration did not disobey a judicial order and that the president’s team acted lawfully.
An investigative report by 60 Minutes on CBS revealed that 238 Venezuelan migrants were labeled as criminals by U.S. authorities, yet 179 of them had no publicly documented criminal offenses.
CNN correspondent David Culver recently visited the CECOT prison and described its extreme environment. Inmates are reportedly confined to their cells for nearly the entire day—23.5 hours—with minimal facilities and no basic comforts typically found in American prisons.
Culver described the conditions: “Cells are designed to hold over 80 individuals. Inside, there are stacked metal bunks without pillows, mattresses, or bed linens. Amenities are limited to an open toilet, a concrete sink, a plastic bucket for washing, and a large water jug for drinking.”
This latest ruling signals a significant development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the treatment and rights of migrants facing removal under outdated and controversial legislation.