The Supreme Court did not answer two of the biggest legal questions raised by Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act.
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TheU.S.SupremeCourt’sunsignedorderintheVenezuelandeportationcaseTrumpv.J.G.G.wasapartialwinforPresidentDonaldTrumpbecauseitliftedthetemporaryrestrainingorderthatalowercourthadplacedonTrump’sdeportations.However,theCourt’sorderwasalsoaclearlossforTrumpbecauseallninejusticesagreedthatalldeporteesundertheAlienEnemiesActmustbeaffordeddueprocess,including“noticeandanopportunitytochallengetheirremoval.”ThatunanimousholdingbytheSupremeCourtwasaclearrejectionoftheTrumpadministration’smostexpansiveclaimsofexecutivepower.
Trumpv.J.G.G.isalsonotableforwhatitdidnotsay.First,theCourtdidnotsaywhetherornotTrumpunlawfullyinvokedtheAlienEnemiesActinthefirstplaceinordertodeportalienswhoareallegedtobemembersofthestreetgangTrendeAragua.
ThereisexcellentreasontothinkthatTrumpdidactunlawfully.AccordingtothetextoftheAlienEnemiesAct,itmayonlybeinvoked“wheneve
