Donald Trump Suffers Double Deportation Loss In Hours: 'Irreparable Harm'
Source: Newsweek
Published May 17, 2025 at 6:17 AM EDT | Updated May 17, 2025 at 7:55 AM EDT
Donald Trump's administration suffered a double legal blow on Friday when the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to lift a judge's injunction blocking the swift deportation of illegal immigrants to a country other than their own, such as El Salvador or Libya. Also on Friday, the Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision blocked the administration's request to resume the rapid deportation of Venezuelan nationals using the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 1798 law. Newsweek contacted the Department of Justice for comment on Saturday via media inquiry form outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Following the November 2024 elections, which saw Republicans secure the White House along with a majority in both chambers of Congress, the courts have emerged as one of the main impediments to the second Trump administration's policy agenda. The government has suffered legal defeats on a range of issues including the firing of probationary federal workers, freezing of billions in foreign aid and a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
What To Know
On Friday, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to remove a nationwide injunction imposed by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy on April 18 barring the rapid deportation of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to nations other than their own country of origin without first hearing their concerns about safety.
The Trump administration had deported suspected members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua criminal gang to a super prison in El Salvador, utilizing the Alien Enemies Act. In its ruling, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it had "concerns" about Trump administration plans regarding deportations to a country other than an immigrant's place of citizenship and "the irreparable harm that will result from wrongful removals in this context."
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-suffers-double-deportation-loss-2073578
This happened at around the same time that the SCOTUS told them to go pound sand.