Supreme Court Slams Door on Trump Administration

The Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that it is fed up with the Trump administration’s blatant disregard for its orders in cases involving the Alien Enemies Act. In a decisive ruling concerning a group of Venezuelan detainees who were at imminent risk of being sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador, the Court took a strong stand against the administration’s actions.

In an eight-page unsigned opinion, with Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissenting, the Court emphatically rejected the administration’s practice of providing these detainees with a mere 24 hours’ notice before their removal. The ruling not only condemned the administration’s misuse of the Alien Enemies Act to expedite the removal of Venezuelan and Salvadoran immigrants with minimal due process, but it also implicitly accused the administration of dishonesty.

Evidence presented in the case indicates that, on the afternoon of April 18, the government was actively preparing to remove detainees under the Alien Enemies Act—transporting them from their detention facility to an airport, only to return them later. The Court noted, “Had the detainees been removed from the United States to the custody of a foreign sovereign on April 19, the Government may have argued, as it has previously argued, that no U.S. court had jurisdiction to order relief.”

The Court’s ruling underscores the administration’s attempts to deny due process to detained immigrants by offering only the most rudimentary notice of removal. This strategy is further undermined by their efforts to eliminate any possibility of due process altogether by sending these individuals to a foreign prison. The Court’s assertion that these detainees face “indefinite detention” highlights the severity of the situation; no one held at CECOT has ever seen a day in court, and the only known prisoner to have stepped outside its walls is a chilling testament to the lack of justice.

It is evident that the Supreme Court is deeply appalled by the administration’s blatant attempt to circumvent due process. This ruling is a resounding testament to the enduring significance of the US Constitution, and it is imperative that Trump adhere to its principles with unwavering commitment.