March 15, 2025executiveimmigrationexecutive authoritydeportationexecutive orderimmigration
Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act, authorizing mass deportation flights
President Trump invokes the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to authorize immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants. The first AEA flights depart for El Salvador carrying detained individuals, making the first use of the 1798 law in a century. Trump administration officials frame the action as part of a national security initiative. The flights proceed despite pending legal challenges.