Trump invokes wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target violent illegal immigrant street gangs

Hours after President Donald Trump invoked a wartime law to target terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) Saturday, a federal judge ruled the law could not be used to deport five Venezuelans and ordered the plane they were believed to be on to return to the U.S.

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, has been invoked three times, during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.

All Venezuelan citizens 14 years or older who are members of TdA, are within the U.S. and are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the U.S. may be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed as "alien enemies," according to Trump's proclamation.