By Gloria Ogbonna
President Donald Trump has officially invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, authorizing the immediate deportation of Venezuelan migrants suspected of being members of the notorious criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).
This unprecedented move aims to protect American communities from what the administration describes as a foreign-backed criminal invasion.
Trump’s presidential action, titled “Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of The United States by Tren De Aragua,” designates TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and accuses the gang of conducting irregular warfare and hostile actions against the United States.
The proclamation outlines the direct connection between TdA and the Venezuelan regime, stating:
“Tren de Aragua (TdA) is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.
TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolas Maduro regime-sponsored narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela. The gang commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortion, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking.
TdA has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens, undermining public safety, and supporting the Maduro regime’s goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States.”
Trump’s directive asserts that TdA is actively involved in a coordinated invasion, a term that has sparked legal and political controversy. The order further states:
“TdA is undertaking hostile actions and conducting irregular warfare against the territory of the United States both directly and at the direction, clandestine or otherwise, of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
Based on these findings, and by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including 50 U.S.C. 21, I proclaim that all Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are members of TdA, are within the United States, and are not actually naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the United States are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies.”
Not everyone is on board with Trump’s hardline stance. On March 11, four Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the president, challenging his use of the term “invasion” to justify deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
Their letter argues that migration, even if involving criminals, does not constitute an armed invasion as required under constitutional law. It states:
“As a legal matter, migration is not an ‘invasion.’ As courts have consistently held, an ‘invasion’ under the Constitution requires ‘armed hostility from another political entity, such as another state or foreign country that is intending to overthrow the government.’
Proclaiming a rhetorical ‘invasion’ would degrade protections throughout the Constitution—lowering the bar for suspending the writ of habeas corpus and even expanding the circumstances in which states may ‘engage in War’ without the approval of the federal government.”
Despite this pushback, Trump and his supporters argue that TdA is not simply an immigrant criminal network but a well-organized, foreign-sponsored criminal enterprise engaged in hostile actions against the U.S..
Trump’s crackdown on migrant gangs has been a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. Back in October 2024, during a campaign rally in Aurora, Colorado, he announced “Operation Aurora,” a plan to aggressively dismantle and eliminate criminal gangs operating within the United States.
This initiative would have a specific focus on violent groups like TdA, which have been linked to organized crime in major U.S. cities.
According to Breitbart News, TdA has already infiltrated American communities and spread criminal operations in Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Miami, Florida; and New York City, among other locations.
Trump’s decision to invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act is likely to face significant legal challenges, especially from civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers.
The ACLU and other advocacy organizations are expected to challenge the move, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent for mass deportations under vague and broad national security claims.
Meanwhile, Trump’s supporters see this as a necessary step to protect American citizens from rising gang violence and to assert U.S. sovereignty over its borders.
As the legal battle unfolds, one thing is certain—immigration enforcement, national security, and executive power will remain at the center of political debates leading up to the next election.
Source Breitbart
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