The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily cleared the Trump administration to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as a tool for deporting individuals accused of gang affiliations—without the need for formal charges, trials, or the standard protections of due process

The ruling allows enforcement of Trump’s executive order while lower courts continue reviewing the case, effectively enabling the administration to treat certain migrants as enemy combatants within U.S. borders.

The Alien Enemies Act, a relic of the 18th century, was originally designed for use during declared wars with foreign nations. This marks the first time it’s being used to justify mass deportations of residents inside the United States based on alleged affiliations rather than nationality.

The decision sparked immediate backlash. Civil rights groups called it a constitutional crisis in the making. “The Court has just turned the presidency into a wartime dictatorship for immigration purposes,” said one legal advocate. “This is the same law that paved the way for Japanese internment.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent warned that the ruling “invites authoritarian abuse” and strips vulnerable populations of any legal defense.

The Trump regime claims the use of the Alien Enemies Act is necessary to combat transnational gangs, though it has presented no publicly verifiable evidence linking targeted individuals to specific crimes.

Critics argue the real motive is political theater and voter intimidation. “They want the imagery of mass roundups,” said a former DHS official. “It plays to the base.”

Legal challenges are ongoing, but for now, the decision allows ICE and other agencies to begin removals using a statute written over two centuries ago—under the guise of national security, and without judicial review.