The Trump administration deported 17 alleged violent criminals tied to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and MS-13 to El Salvador over the weekend, the U.S. State Department announced on Monday.
The deportations were conducted by the U.S. military on Sunday night, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the individuals included murderers and rapists.
President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 on March 15 to target alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a rarely used wartime law intended to address foreign threats. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked the policy following a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which argued that the process used to identify gang members was flawed.
Despite the court order, the Trump administration may still use standard immigration processes for removals. The administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the ban after a federal appeals court left the policy blocked last week.
The ACLU raised concerns about the Alien Enemies Validation Guide, a checklist reportedly used by U.S. immigration agents to determine gang membership. The guide includes factors such as prior criminal convictions, self-professed membership, and phone calls about gang activity. However, it also includes less reliable indicators such as tattoos, clothing, and hand gestures.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s methodology, stating, “There is a litany of criteria that they use to ensure that these individuals qualify as foreign terrorists and to ensure that they qualify for deportation.”
According to a list published by a Fox News reporter and confirmed by the White House, 12 of the 16 deportees had criminal convictions, one admitted to gang membership, and three were facing charges.
The deportations have sparked further debate about the legitimacy of the administration’s tactics and the legal framework used to enforce them.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration was working towards a fair deal with Iran, hours after the Senate voted to direct him t...
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration was working towards a fair deal with Iran, hours after the Senate voted to direct him to halt military action against Tehran in a rare bipartisan rebuke.
A North Korean soldier has been taken into custody by South Korean forces after crossing the heavily guarded border between the two countries, in what officials believe may be a defection.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday (24 June) as the alliance faces growing pressure over the war with Iran and uncertainty about the future of American troops in Europe.
Australian authorities have expanded surveillance and testing efforts after confirming two cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, while neighbouring Papua New Guinea has suspended poultry imports from the country.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have increased to 1,094, including 277 deaths, according to government data
A North Korean soldier has been taken into custody by South Korean forces after crossing the heavily guarded border between the two countries, in what officials believe may be a defection.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday (24 June) as the alliance faces growing pressure over the war with Iran and uncertainty about the future of American troops in Europe.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 24 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the construction of two new 5,000-tonne warships every year over the next five years, signalling one of the country’s most ambitious naval expansion plans to date.
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