US Supreme Court Blocks Deportations Under 18th-Century Law

The US Supreme Court has temporarily halted the deportation of Venezuelan migrants under an 18th-century wartime law. The decision comes after Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen wrongly deported from the US to El Salvador, who was "traumatised" by his time in a notorious mega-prison. Garcia's attorneys say he was never charged with a crime and was deported without due process. Van Hollen claimed that photos of him meeting Garcia, which appeared to show them drinking margaritas, were staged by El Salvador's government to mock concerns about the country's prison conditions. The case has sparked a debate over the rule of law, due process, and the Trump administration's use of the 1798 law to deport migrants.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen said Kilmar Ábrego García, a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, has been moved to a new prison after being held in a notorious mega-jail where he was "traumatised" and fearful. The Supreme Court has ordered the government to facilitate his return to the US, but the Trump administration has resisted, accusing him of being a member of the MS-13 gang, which his family and attorneys deny. Ábrego García has never been convicted of a crime, and Van Hollen said he was "very sad" about being imprisoned without committing a crime. The case is part of a larger dispute between the Trump administration and the US courts on immigration issues.

The US Supreme Court has temporarily halted the deportation of a group of alleged Venezuelan gang members detained in Texas, pending their ability to contest their removal in court. The Trump administration had invoked a 1798 law, the Alien Enemies Act, to deport the men, citing national security concerns. The law allows the president to detain and deport citizens of "enemy" nations without usual processes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had sued to stop the deportations, arguing that the men had not been given adequate notice or opportunity to challenge their removal.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, and reported that Abrego Garcia was "traumatized" while being held at the CECOT supermax prison. Abrego Garcia was denied a phone call after being detained by ICE and was later moved to a plane to El Salvador without knowing his destination. Van Hollen initially faced challenges meeting with Abrego Garcia, including being turned away at a military checkpoint, but eventually met with him at a restaurant. Abrego Garcia has been moved to a different detention center with better conditions but still has no access to news or communication with the outside world. The Trump administration claims Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13, which his attorney and family deny, and despite a court order to facilitate his return to the US, he remains in El Salvador.

The Trump administration is attempting to deport Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century wartime powers law, sparking a new legal battle. Lawyers for the migrants received an alert that U.S. immigration officials were handing out notices at a detention facility in Texas, informing them they were considered "alien enemies" and would be removed from the country. The notices did not specify how to appeal the order. The ACLU filed a lawsuit and the Supreme Court intervened, temporarily blocking deportation flights. The administration claims the deportations are necessary to protect the public, while immigrant rights advocates argue they are being denied due process. The administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift its block, while the ACLU argues that the government should be subject to judicial review.

Cesar Hernandez, a 34-year-old California inmate who escaped from custody in December while serving an 80-year to life sentence for first-degree murder, was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico after a weeklong manhunt. Hernandez was wanted for the April 9 shooting death of Abigail Esparza Reyes, the 33-year-old leader of an elite Mexican police unit known as "Gringo Hunters," which arrests U.S. fugitives in Mexico. Reyes was killed during a shootout while attempting to arrest Hernandez. He is now facing criminal proceedings in Mexico and will face legal consequences according to the law.

Cesar Hernandez, a 34-year-old escaped California inmate, was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico by Mexico's State Investigation Agency. Hernandez was wanted for killing Abigail Esparza Reyes, the 33-year-old leader of an elite Mexican police unit known as the "Gringo Hunters", during a shootout on April 9. Hernandez was serving 80 years to life in California for first-degree murder before escaping from custody on December 2 while being transported to a court appearance. He is now facing criminal proceedings in Mexico and his legal situation will be determined according to law.