Story perspectives

Judge Orders Trump Admin to Aid Deported Venezuelans

2/15/2026

Center

Judge Orders Migrant Return

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump to facilitate the return of Venezuelan migrants deported unlawfully under the Alien Enemies Act.
The government must cover airfare for those returning from third countries and provide travel documents.
The ruling does not extend to those in Venezuela due to ongoing diplomatic tensions, and Boasberg noted that few may return while the government must remedy its actions.

Right

Trump's Detention Controversy

Under U.S. President Donald Trump, ICE detainees reached 68,000 in February 2026.
Courts have ruled about 4,400 times that the administration unlawfully detained immigrants, and practices persist.
Legal advocates connect detainees with lawyers for habeas claims, but barriers include high fees.
Since Trump took office, detainees have filed over 20,200 federal lawsuits seeking release.
A federal judge ordered the return of 137 deported migrants, with the government paying airfare.

Left

Trump's Costly Deportations

The U.S. President Donald Trump administration spent more than $40 million to deport migrants to countries with no ties, per a Senate report.
The analysis shows that more than 80% of those deported have returned home.
Critics say agreements with El Salvador and Equatorial Guinea waste taxpayer money and risk human rights violations.
A federal judge ordered that Venezuelan migrants unlawfully deported must be allowed to challenge removals.

History

Historical Context

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 empowered the U.S. government to deport non-citizens during wartime, historically invoked by presidents like Franklin Roosevelt against Japanese Americans in World War II. In 2025, President Donald Trump sought to use this act against Venezuelan migrants linked to criminal gangs, prompting legal challenges, including over 20,200 lawsuits filed since 2017, highlighting ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration policy.

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Judge Orders Migrant Return

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump to facilitate the return of Venezuelan migrants deported unlawfully under the Alien Enemies Act.
The government must cover airfare for those returning from third countries and provide travel documents.
The ruling does not extend to those in Venezuela due to ongoing diplomatic tensions, and Boasberg noted that few may return while the government must remedy its actions.

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