The Trump administration is applying an 18th-century law to deport hundreds of Venezuelans without legal defense. Forms linking them to the extinct Tren de Aragua gang without evidence and mass deportations to El Salvador have been denounced.

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The US threatens to deport Venezuelan migrants without judicial review of their cases.

The Trump administration has reactivated the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelans without prior notification or access to lawyers, according to complaints from the ACLU(The American Civil Liberties Union),a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 to defend the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Migrants are receiving forms in English accusing them of belonging to the Tren de Aragua (criminal organization which was dismantled by the Venezuelan authorities long ago) ,despite intelligence reports denying such links.

Lawyers have presented photos of documents from the Bluebonnet Detention Center (Texas) where migrants are declared “enemy aliens.” The accusations lack foundation and omit specific details, violating the right to challenge the charges.

After a Supreme Court order requiring notification to deportees, the government is confining Venezuelans in Texas to avoid favorable jurisdictions. This maneuver aims to speed up expulsions before they can access legal resources.

La jueza Charlotte N. Sweeney falló a favor de la Unión Estadounidense de Libertades Civiles (ACLU) por caso de 2 venezolanos que fueron detenidos y serían deportados por su presunta asociación con el Tren de Aragua, algo que ellos niegan, según sus abogados. pic.twitter.com/qD8jaTm8uS

— Aecio 🇻🇪 (@AecioEscalante) April 15, 2025

The text reads:”Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in the case of two Venezuelans who were detained and would be deported due to their alleged association with the Tren de Aragua, which they deny, according to their attorneys.”

Mass Deportations and Global Risk

At least 238 Venezuelans have been sent to prisons in El Salvador, where they suffer degrading treatment. Organizations warn that this policy sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing migrants based on racial criteria.

Venezuela formally announced in March 2025 that it would file an international lawsuit against the U.S. for crimes against humanity against Venezuelan migrants deported under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, while the ACLU fights in court to halt the deportations. The most recent expulsion included 10 people on April 13, according to family testimonies of the victims of such arbitrarities.

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