US Supreme Court halts Trump’s migrant deportation policy that could affect Nigerians

The United States Supreme Court has halted the deportation of Venezuelan migrants ordered under the rarely used 1798 Alien Enemies Act by President Donald Trump.

The late-night emergency ruling came just hours before dozens of Venezuelans were to be expelled to a prison in El Salvador. The court said the government must not remove any member of the migrant group until further notice.

Trump, who won the 2024 US presidential election, invoked the Alien Enemies Act to target suspected gang members, allowing deportations without court hearings. The law, previously used during wartime, last saw major application during World War II.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed the emergency suit, said migrants were at risk of being deported without a legal process. One deportee, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was sent to El Salvador before the US government admitted the action was an administrative error.

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Critics raised concerns about profiling, with some migrants allegedly targeted based on tattoos. Trump has defended the move, linking it to efforts to crack down on criminal gangs like Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and MS-13.

The Supreme Court decision temporarily blocks deportations under the Alien Enemies Act but does not prevent the government from using other immigration laws.

The case has drawn global attention, with legal experts warning it could affect other migrant groups, including Africans, if expanded. Trump’s allies have criticised the ruling, with some urging him to ignore the court’s order.

For Nigerian migrants in the US, the ruling is significant as it highlights ongoing changes in immigration enforcement that may affect other nationalities.

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