A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting any noncitizens pursuant to the president's recent proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act. Full story: https://abc7.com/post/president-donald-trump-invokes-wartime-alien-enemies-act-1798-declare-invasion-gangs-speed-deportations/16028956/
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00:00President Trump today invoking an 18th century law to speed up mass deportations, but the controversial move is stirring up some painful memories of a dark time in U.S. history.
00:10And as Eyewitness News reporter Tim Caputo explains, it's already ignited several legal challenges.
00:15The federal judge said he had to act immediately after the president's proclamation, even ordering planes full of migrants being deported to turn around and return to the U.S.
00:25The Trump administration claims a Venezuelan gang is invading the U.S.
00:29And that's the justification for invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a sweeping authority previously only used in wartime.
00:37This time, it's meant to speed up deportations.
00:40I think the Trump administration will have to come forward with serious proof that would satisfy a judge that, yes, we are experiencing an invasion.
00:49Legal experts aren't alone questioning the unprecedented use of this 18th century law, because within two hours of today's announcement, a federal judge blocked the order, a temporary pause that Congresswoman Judy Chu believes was necessary.
01:02I was so relieved when I heard the judge's pronouncement about the temporary restraining order.
01:09In the last year, members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, or TDA, have been arrested in Colorado and New York.
01:16But the Trump administration claims the gang has invaded the U.S. to perpetrate irregular warfare.
01:21Attorney General Pam Bondi blasting the judge's restraining order, saying, quote, Tonight, a D.C.
01:26trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans.
01:31This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump's power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk.
01:38Congresswoman Chu, like the federal judge, believes the White House is rushing to deport immigrants.
01:43If we don't have that due process, your your uncle, your grandfather could be taken away just because they are from that particular country.
01:53The Japanese American National Museum condemning the president's proclamation.
01:57After all, the last time the Alien Enemies Act was invoked during World War Two, it led to the mass incarceration of more than 100000 people of Japanese ancestry.
02:06The Los Angeles fixture, adding, quote, The Japanese American National Museum was founded on the promise that this would never happen to any other group.
02:14Yet today's events remind us that this promise is under threat, that we can no longer say with certainty that history will not repeat itself.
02:22Whether it does is now in the hands of the courts.
02:24We might have to have the Supreme Court jump in and say this is our understanding of when you can use the Alien Enemies Act.
02:31Those deportations for those in custody are halted for two weeks, but that judge also scheduled a hearing for this upcoming Friday in the newsroom.
02:39Tim Caputo, ABC 7 Eyewitness News.