The Trump administration announced Sunday that it had deported hundreds of individuals allegedly linked to the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua, despite a judge’s order blocking the move. The deportations proceeded even after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order Saturday night, halting President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act—a rarely invoked law—to expedite removals. Boasberg’s ruling required planes already in the air to return to the U.S., with the order set to remain in effect for 14 days unless further modified by the court, CNN reported.
Following the ruling, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) announced plans to draft articles of impeachment against Boasberg, gaining support from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Musk, whom Trump informally tasked with overseeing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency—a quasi-governmental agency lacking congressional approval—responded to Gill’s announcement on X with a single word: “Necessary.”
The deported individuals were sent to El Salvador, where the U.S. is reportedly paying $6 million to detain them.
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed the arrival of 238 alleged Tren de Aragua members, stating they were immediately placed in the CECOT Terrorism Confinement Center for a renewable one-year term. Bukele noted that while the U.S. is paying for their imprisonment, the cost is significantly higher for El Salvador.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the U.S. also deported two high-ranking MS-13 leaders and 21 of El Salvador’s most wanted criminals. He praised the agreement with El Salvador, emphasizing that holding these individuals there would be cost-effective for U.S. taxpayers.
Originally enacted in 1789, the Alien Enemies Act allows for the expedited removal of individuals deemed threats without following standard immigration procedures.
