President Donald Trump has openly defied a federal court order by proceeding with the deportation of over 250 Venezuelan nationals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—a move condemned by legal scholars, civil rights groups, and international observers as a direct assault on the judiciary and a stark escalation in Trump’s authoritarian tactics,

On March 15, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order halting the mass deportations, citing a lack of declared war with Venezuela—one of the legal requirements for activating the 226-year-old law. The court found that the detainees had been offered no due process, no immigration hearings, and no individual review.

Yet just hours later, two military-chartered planes took off from U.S. airfields bound for El Salvador, where the deported individuals—allegedly tied to the Tren de Aragua gang—were transferred to the custody of President Nayib Bukele’s government. They were reportedly placed in the Terrorism Confinement Center, a facility notorious for its mass incarceration methods and alleged human rights abuses.

The White House claims the judge’s ruling came “after the flights had departed,” despite flight tracking data confirming both planes remained within U.S. airspace well after the court order was issued. Legal experts now say the administration is likely in open contempt of court, and emergency motions are being filed to demand the return of the deportees and potential penalties for officials involved.

This isn’t an isolated power grab—it’s part of a coordinated campaign of institutional sabotage. As The Crustian Daily has reported in recent weeks, Trump’s administration has revived the Alien Enemies Act, a law last used during World War II to detain Japanese, German, and Italian civilians on U.S. soil. The revival of this legislation has bypassed due process entirely and opens the door for mass deportations without judicial review or legal challenge.

In another case, the administration illegally detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian permanent resident and Columbia student, for leading pro-Palestinian protests. Despite his legal residency and clean record, he was held by ICE without charges—an act that civil rights lawyers say amounts to political repression.

The pattern extends to Trump’s escalating attacks on press freedom. In a recent speech at the Department of Justice, the president labeled critical media coverage “illegal” and called for legal action against journalists he claims are spreading disinformation—an authoritarian tactic used to delegitimize dissent and intimidate the free press.

Simultaneously, the administration has purged large numbers of DOJ officials, replacing them with personal loyalists, and revived plans to expand Guantanamo-style detention camps for migrants in offshore territories—outside the reach of U.S. courts.

The ACLU, Democracy Forward, and immigration law organizations say the administration’s current actions are not just illegal but part of a larger authoritarian shift, using immigration as a testing ground for dismantling checks and balances.

“Every time the courts say ‘stop,’ the president says ‘make me,’” said attorney Lisa Gutierrez. “We’re watching the systematic destruction of constitutional limits in real time.”

Internationally, the deportations have drawn rebuke. The UN Human Rights Office issued a statement warning the U.S. may be violating international law by forcibly transferring people to a third country without due process. El Salvador’s own human rights ombudsman has raised concerns about the lack of oversight in accepting mass deportees under unclear legal status.

As federal courts brace for a potential Supreme Court battle over the use of the Alien Enemies Act, Trump’s defiance is already being seen as a constitutional breaking point. If the judiciary is ignored, what remains to enforce the law?

The Crustian Daily will continue to monitor these developments as the administration’s open defiance of democratic norms and judicial authority accelerates.