Trump-appointed federal judge blocks use of Alien Enemies Act for Venezuelans in South Texas

A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas ruled that President Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to detain and deport Venezuelan immigrants from South Texas was unlawful. The judge concluded that invoking the AEA for this purpose exceeds its scope, which defines "invasion" as a military incursion by an organized, armed force. The case involves three Venezuelan plaintiffs detained in El Valle Detention Center under a Trump proclamation accusing Tren de Aragua of threatening an invasion. The ruling marks the first time such authority has been blocked in Texas's Southern District, with potential implications for similar cases and legal challenges to Trump's administration actions.