A federal judge has directed the Trump administration to outline how it will bring back Venezuelan nationals removed under the Alien Enemies Act, deepening a legal dispute over executive authority and immigration enforcement.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Venezuelan nationals deported under the Alien Enemies Act who are currently located outside Venezuela, escalating an ongoing court battle over the scope of presidential immigration powers.
In a written order, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg directed the administration to submit a status report detailing how it intends to comply. The order, available through the federal court filing system, can be reviewed here.
“The Government shall file a Status Report by March 13, 2026, explaining how and when it will transport any Plaintiff seeking return to the United States from a third country. In that Status Report, the Government shall also inform the Court as to the feasibility of returning Plaintiffs still in Venezuela who wish to return for their proceedings,” Boasberg wrote.
“It shall also describe the steps taken to obtain any passports or identification documents from El Salvador,” he added.
The ruling was quickly highlighted on social media, including in a post by journalist Kyle Cheney reporting that the judge had ordered the administration to facilitate the return of Venezuelan men deported under the Alien Enemies Act who are now in third countries. The post can be viewed here.
The latest order follows a series of earlier rulings concerning the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to remove Venezuelan nationals believed to be affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. Last March, Boasberg granted a temporary restraining order blocking deportations under the statute. He later raised the possibility of holding administration officials in contempt for failing to reverse flights transporting alleged gang members.
In subsequent proceedings, Boasberg said he found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court for not complying with his directive to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan nationals en route to El Salvador.
Other federal courts have also scrutinized the administration’s reliance on the centuries-old statute. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez issued a permanent injunction barring the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to remove Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, describing the President’s invocation of the law as “unlawful.” Rodriguez wrote that the statute applies only when the United States is at war and under armed attack.
Federal judges in New York, Colorado, and South Texas have issued similar rulings limiting the administration’s use of the law.
Boasberg’s latest directive requires the administration to explain how and when it will transport plaintiffs back to the United States from third countries and to address the feasibility of returning individuals who remain in Venezuela but seek to pursue legal proceedings. The court also instructed the government to outline efforts to obtain necessary travel documentation from El Salvador.
The administration must now respond by the court’s deadline with a detailed account of how it plans to carry out the judge’s order, marking another development in a broader judicial review of executive immigration authority.