Supreme Court Upholds Trump Administration’s Use of Alien Enemies Act: A Landmark Decision with Broad Implications

Late Monday night, April 7, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision allowing the Trump administration to enforce the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) of 1798 to facilitate the deportation of individuals suspected of gang affiliations. The ruling vacates a lower court’s restraining order and grants the administration temporary authority to invoke this rarely used wartime statute. However, the Court stipulated that detainees must be given notice of their deportation orders and an opportunity to challenge their removal in court.

The decision represents a significant victory for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies but has sparked widespread criticism from civil rights groups and legal scholars who argue that it undermines due process protections for non-citizens. This case highlights the administration’s expansive use of executive power and raises questions about the applicability of centuries-old laws in modern contexts.