Fed judge orders deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gangbangers to return to US after Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act

A federal judge blocked President Trump on Saturday from invoking the 18th century Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members without a hearing – ordering any flight carrying the supposed criminals to turn around.

US District Judge James Boasberg quickly halted the order that would allow US officials to deport a group of  Venezuelans under the wartime actions after civil rights groups filed a challenge earlier Saturday, The Washington Post reported.

James Boasberg ordered the planes to return to the United States late Saturday night. Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Trump administration has been ramping up deportation flights. JEFFREY ARGUEDAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The chief judge in the District of Columbia said he heard that “flights are actively departing” and ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt all removals and have planes carrying migrants return to the United States.

It comes as Trump made efforts late Saturday to expand the use of the order to deport migrant gang members nationwide.