PRESIDENT Donald Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act against the Tren de Aragua gang as he continues efforts to speed up deportations.
The Tren de Aragua gang is an international organised crime group from Venezuela – designated as terrorists by the US.
The 1798 Act was last used to justify the internment of Japanese-American civilians during World War 2.
The Trump administration looks to speed up the deportation of migrants affiliated with the Venezuelan gang.
The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 gives gargantuan levels of authority to the Republican to target and remove undocumented immigrants.
It is designed as a law to be invoked if the US is at war with another country or a nation has invaded the US or threatened to do so.
The White House stated in a recent presidential proclamation that a significant number of individuals from Tren de Aragua have unlawfully entered the United States. According to the proclamation, these individuals are engaging in irregular warfare and hostile activities against the United States.
The proclamation called for all of those subject to the measure to be arrested, detained and removed immediately.
President Trump specifically mentioned in the proclamation that Venezuelan citizens, aged 14 and above, who are affiliated with Tren de Aragua, present in the U.S. without being naturalized or holding lawful permanent residency status, may face apprehension, detention, and eventual deportation as Alien Enemies.
Tren de Aragua is a transnational criminal organisation and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization from Venezuela.
Believed to have over 5,000 members, Homeland Security officials labeled the group “high-threat,” according to US media reports.
This proclamation comes shortly after reports emerged indicating that Trump plans to implement extensive travel restrictions affecting 43 countries, including Russia and Belarus, as part of a significant overhaul of immigration policies.
The proposed policy — yet to be finalized — divides nations into three categories, with some facing full visa suspensions and others subject to partial restrictions.
According to a memo seen by The New York Times, Russian visas will reportedly be “sharply restricted,” while Belarusian travelers could see their access to the U.S. heavily curtailed.
Nations on the list have been warned they will remain banned unless their governments “address deficiencies within 60 days.”
The draft policy names 11 countries – including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea – as facing the most severe restrictions, with full visa suspensions.
A second group of 10 nations would face partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and immigration visas, with some exceptions.
A third group of 22 countries could also see visa issuance restricted if they fail to address security concerns.
These alleged issues include weak passport security, inadequate traveler data sharing, or the sale of citizenships to individuals from already-banned nations.
A U.S. official told The New York Times that the list could still change and has yet to receive final approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
