Appeals court throws out challenge to Trump use of Alien Enemies Act
What's new: The ruling leaves intact deportations of alleged gang members sent from the US to El Salvador.
A federal appeals court dismissed a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a ruling that preserves deportations tied to alleged members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and MS-13. The case centered on the government’s authority to remove noncitizens under the wartime-era law. ABC News’ report referenced 17 alleged gang members deported by the United States to El Salvador, where they were shown in San Salvador on March 31, 2025. The decision marks another court win for Trump-era immigration powers and keeps the underlying removals in place unless a separate challenge succeeds.