A federal appeals court in the United States has dealt a major blow to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, rejecting his legal team’s attempt to reinstate a controversial deportation order that had been temporarily blocked by a lower court.
The case revolves around an executive order that sought to revive the Alien Enemies Act, an obscure wartime law from 1798, to expedite the deportation of undocumented immigrants. Civil rights groups had challenged the policy, arguing that it violated constitutional protections and due process rights.
In a 2-1 ruling, the appellate court upheld the previous injunction, stating that the law's application in this context was both "questionable and inconsistent with modern legal standards." The judges argued that the policy lacked clear guidelines and posed significant risks of wrongful deportations.
Trump’s legal team had argued that the measure was necessary to safeguard national security, particularly amid rising concerns over illegal border crossings. However, critics dismissed the justification as a political maneuver aimed at energizing his base ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The ruling is expected to have major implications for future immigration policies. While Trump’s team has vowed to escalate the case to the Supreme Court, legal experts believe the decision signals a significant roadblock to any efforts to revive extreme deportation measures.