Trump Admin Invokes ‘State Secrets Privilege’ to Block Release of Deportation Information

The Trump administration on Monday invoked a “state secrets privilege,” a move that could lead to the dismissal of the case against the government regarding the deportation of Venezuelan illegal immigrants to El Salvador.

The “state secrets privilege” is a legal doctrine developed by the U.S. Supreme Court to protect sensitive national security information from disclosure in civil litigation. Key cases, such as Totten v. United States (1876) and Reynolds v. United States (1953), established its application, allowing the government to withhold information in litigation if it poses a national security risk.

By using this privilege, the Trump administration won’t have to provide information about deported migrants. Hence, the case against the government might be dismissed.