A federal judge on Saturday temporarily blocked any deportations that would occur under US President Donald Trump's use of a little-used wartime law to expedite the expulsion of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order for 14 days. Boasberg said the act "does not provide a basis for the president's proclamation given that the terms invasion, predatory incursion really relate to hostile acts perpetrated by any nation and commensurate to war."
In invoking the act, Trump said members of the gang were "conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States" with the goal of destabilizing the nation.