Elected last year on a promise to crack down on migrants, Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act in an attempt to swiftly deport accused members of Tren de Aragua, a criminal gang originating from Venezuelan prisons that his administration labels a terrorist group.

The US Supreme Court temporarily halted the deportation of Venezuelan citizens detained in northern Texas on Saturday. This action was to be carried out under a rarely used 18th-century wartime act. In its order,