AP Special Report Spotlight Trump cannot use Alien Enemies Act to deport members of Venezuelan gang, appeals court rules NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press Sep 3, 2025 Sep 3, 2025 Updated Mar 9, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAm(p$wx}v%~} — p 7656C2= 2AA62=D 4@FCE A2?6= CF=65 %F6D52J E92E !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A 42??@E FD6 2? `gE9\46?EFCJ H2CE:>6 =2H E@ DA665 E96 56A@CE2E:@?D @7 A6@A=6 9:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 244FD6D @7 >6>36CD9:A :? 2 '6?6KF6=2? 82?8[ 3=@4<:?8 2 D:8?2EFC6 25>:?:DEC2E:@? AFD9 E92E :D 56DE:?65 7@C 2 7:?2= D9@H5@H? 2E E96 &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE]k^AmkAmp E9C66\;F586 A2?6= @7 E96 dE9 &]$] r:C4F:E r@FCE @7 pAA62=D[ @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 4@?D6CG2E:G6 7656C2= 2AA62=D 4@FCED :? E96 4@F?ECJ[ 28C665 H:E9 :>>:8C2?E C:89ED =2HJ6CD 2?5 =@H6C 4@FCE ;F586D H9@ 2C8F65 E96 p=:6? t?6>:6D p4E @7 `fhg H2D ?@E :?E6?565 E@ 36 FD65 282:?DE 82?8D =:<6 %C6? 56 pC28F2[ E96 '6?6KF6=2? 8C@FA %CF>A E2C86E65 :? 9:D |2C49 :?G@42E:@?]k^Am People are also reading… Smyth School Board celebrates student achievements Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life 100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis Smyth schools prepare to welcome Pre-K, kindergarten students at registration U.S. Sen. Warner visits Marion, holding discussion about Blue Ridge Job Corps A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Adding river float trips in Chilhowie is one tourism goal Federal appeals court examines Liberty University firing over gender transition 'Worship over worry': Virginia church group evacuates Israel at war Smyth County's Val Mutter: An Unsung Legal Hero Meet Smyth’s Pet of the Week: Diamond Spanberger appoints 65 Virginians to state boards and commissions Spanberger sends message with appointments to higher ed panel NCAA Tournament Midwest Region guide: Evaluating Virginia and its competition in the Midwest UVa jumps from D to B on ADL's 'Campus Antisemitism Report Card' kAm{66 v6=6C?E[ H9@ 2C8F65 E96 42D6 7@C E96 pr{&[ D2:5 %F6D52Ji Q%96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?VD FD6 @7 2 H2CE:>6 DE2EFE6 5FC:?8 A6246E:>6 E@ C68F=2E6 :>>:8C2E:@? H2D C:89E=J D9FE 5@H? 3J E96 4@FCE] %9:D :D 2 4C:E:42==J :>A@CE2?E 564:D:@? C6:?:?8 :? E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@?VD G:6H E92E :E 42? D:>A=J 564=2C6 2? 6>6C86?4J H:E9@FE 2?J @G6CD:89E 3J E96 4@FCED]Qk^AmkAm%96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 w@>6=2?5 $64FC:EJ 5:5 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E]k^AmkAm%96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 56A@CE65 A6@A=6 56D:8?2E65 2D %C6? 56 pC28F2 >6>36CD E@ 2 ?@E@C:@FD AC:D@? :? t= $2=G25@C H96C6[ :E 2C8F65[ &]$] 4@FCED 4@F=5 ?@E @C56C E96> 7C665]k^Am kAmx? 2 562= 2??@F?465 :? yF=J[ >@C6 E92? ad_ @7 E96 56A@CE65 >:8C2?ED C6EFC?65 E@ '6?6KF6=2]k^AmkAm%96 p=:6? t?6>:6D p4E H2D @?=J FD65 E9C66 E:>6D 367@C6 :? &]$] 9:DE@CJ[ 2== 5FC:?8 564=2C65 H2CD — :? E96 (2C @7 `g`a 2?5 E96 EH@ (@C=5 (2CD] %96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? F?DF446DD7F==J 2C8F65 E92E 4@FCED 42??@E D64@?5\8F6DD E96 AC6D:56?EVD 56E6C>:?2E:@? E92E %C6? 56 pC28F2 H2D 4@??64E65 E@ '6?6KF6=2VD 8@G6C?>6?E 2?5 C6AC6D6?E65 2 52?86C E@ E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ >6C:E:?8 FD6 @7 E96 24E]k^Am kAmx? 2 a\` CF=:?8[ E96 ;F586D D2:5 E96J 8C2?E65 E96 AC6=:>:?2CJ :?;F?4E:@? D@F89E 3J E96 A=2:?E:77D 3642FD6 E96J Q7@F?5 ?@ :?G2D:@? @C AC652E@CJ :?4FCD:@?Q :? E9:D 42D6]k^Am kAm%96 564:D:@? 32CD 56A@CE2E:@?D 7C@> %6I2D[ {@F:D:2?2 2?5 |:DD:DD:AA:] x? E96 >2;@C:EJ H6C6 &]$] r:C4F:E yF586D {6D=:6 $@FE9H:4<[ 2 v6@C86 (] qFD9 2AA@:?E66[ 2?5 xC>2 r2CC:==@ #2>:C6K[ 2 y@6 q:56? 2AA@:?E66] p?5C6H ~=592>[ 2 %CF>A 2AA@:?E66[ 5:DD6?E65]k^AmkAm%96 >2;@C:EJ @A:?:@? D2:5 %CF>AVD 2==682E:@?D 23@FE %C6? 56 pC28F2 5@ ?@E >66E E96 9:DE@C:42= =6G6=D @7 ?2E:@?2= 4@?7=:4E E92E r@?8C6DD :?E6?565 7@C E96 24E]k^Am kAmQp 4@F?ECJVD 6?4@FC28:?8 :ED C6D:56?ED 2?5 4:E:K6?D E@ 6?E6C E9:D 4@F?ECJ :==682==J :D ?@E E96 >@56C?\52J 6BF:G2=6?E @7 D6?5:?8 2? 2C>65[ @C82?:K65 7@C46 E@ @44FAJ[ E@ 5:DCFAE[ @C E@ @E96CH:D6 92C> E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[Q E96 ;F586D HC@E6]k^Am kAmx? 2 =6?8E9J 5:DD6?E[ ~=592> 4@>A=2:?65 9:D EH@ 4@==628F6D H6C6 D64@?5\8F6DD:?8 %CF>AVD 4@?5F4E @7 7@C6:8? 2772:CD 2?5 ?2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ[ C62=>D H96C6 4@FCED FDF2==J 8:G6 E96 AC6D:56?E 8C62E 5676C6?46]k^AmkAmQ%96 >2;@C:EJVD 2AAC@249 E@ E9:D 42D6 :D ?@E @?=J F?AC64656?E65—:E :D 4@?EC2CJ E@ >@C6 E92? a__ J62CD @7 AC64656?E[Q ~=592> HC@E6]k^Am kAm%96 A2?6= 5:5 8C2?E E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? @?6 =682= G:4E@CJ[ 7:?5:?8 E96 AC@465FC6D :E FD6D E@ 25G:D6 56E2:?66D F?56C E96 p=:6? t?6>:6D p4E @7 E96:C =682= C:89ED :D 2AAC@AC:2E6]k^AmkAm%96 CF=:?8 42? 36 2AA62=65 E@ E96 7F== dE9 r:C4F:E @C 5:C64E=J E@ E96 &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE[ H9:49 :D =:<6=J E@ >2<6 E96 F=E:>2E6 564:D:@? @? E96 :DDF6]k^Am kAmx?5665[ E96 CF=:?8 2?5 5:DD6?E 3@E9 D66>65 E@ 24<?@H=6586 E96 ;F586D H6C6 H6:89:?8 :? @? :DDF6D 56DE:?65 E@ 36 D6EE=65 @?=J 3J E96 ?2E:@?VD 9:896DE 4@FCE[ C6A62E65=J ?@E:?8 E96 F?AC64656?E65 ?2EFC6 @7 E96 42D6 2?5 56=G:?8 :?E@ `gE9 46?EFCJ 4@?7=:4ED 2?5 @E96C =2?5>2C< 6G6?ED :? E96 ?2E:@?VD 62C=J 564256D 2D ;FDE:7:42E:@?]k^Am kAm%96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE 92D 2=C625J 8@EE6? :?G@=G65 EH:46 367@C6 :? E96 E2?8=65 9:DE@CJ @7 E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?VD FD6 @7 E96 ptp] x? E96 :?:E:2= H66<D 27E6C E96 |2C49 564=2C2E:@?[ E96 4@FCE CF=65 E92E E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 4@F=5 56A@CE A6@A=6 F?56C E96 24E[ 3FE F?2?:>@FD=J 7@F?5 E92E E9@D6 E2C86E65 ?66565 E@ 36 8:G6? 2 C62D@?23=6 492?46 E@ 2C8F6 E96:C 42D6 367@C6 ;F586D :? E96 2C62D H96C6 E96J H6C6 96=5]k^Am kAm%96?[ 2D E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? >@G65 E@ C2A:5=J 56A@CE >@C6 '6?6KF6=2?D 7C@> %6I2D[ E96 9:89 4@FCE DE6AA65 :? 282:? H:E9 2? F?FDF2=[ A@DE\>:5?:89E CF=:?8 E92E E96J 4@F=5?VE 5@ D@ F?E:= E96 dE9 r:C4F:E 564:565 H96E96C E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? H2D AC@G:5:?8 256BF2E6 ?@E:46 E@ E96 :>>:8C2?ED 2?5 4@F=5 H6:89 :? @? E96 3C@256C =682= :DDF6D @7 E96 42D6] %96 9:89 4@FCE 92D J6E E@ 255C6DD H96E96C 2 82?8 42? 36 4:E65 2D 2? 2=:6? 6?6>J F?56C E96 ptp]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Students in the US illegally see college pathways close as Trump targets tuition breaks Across the United States, tens of thousands of college students without legal status are losing access to in-state tuition and face raids. Judge reverses Trump administration's cuts of billions of dollars to Harvard University She ruled that the cuts amounted to illegal retaliation for Harvard's rejection of White House demands for governance and policy changes. The Alien Enemies Act: What to know about a 1798 law that Trump has invoked for deportations Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act Saturday, granting himself sweeping powers under a centuries-old law to deport people associated with a Ve… Trump says US has carried out strike against drug-carrying vessel that left from Venezuela President Donald Trump says the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela. Appeals court finds Trump's sweeping tariffs unconstitutional But the court left the import taxes in place for now, allowing his administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. The 911 presidency: Trump flexes emergency powers in his second term Despite insisting that the United States is rebounding from calamity under his watch, President Trump is harnessing emergency powers unlike an… Watch Now: Related Video Direction of Middle East War Unclear Amid Mixed Messages Iran threatens world tourism sites and says it's still building missiles - AP explains AP Iran threatens world tourism sites and says it's still building missiles - AP explains Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, AP source says AP Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, AP source says Fed Chair Will Stay Put Until New Chair is Confirmed by Senate Fed Chair Will Stay Put Until New Chair is Confirmed by Senate
Students in the US illegally see college pathways close as Trump targets tuition breaks Across the United States, tens of thousands of college students without legal status are losing access to in-state tuition and face raids.
Judge reverses Trump administration's cuts of billions of dollars to Harvard University She ruled that the cuts amounted to illegal retaliation for Harvard's rejection of White House demands for governance and policy changes.
The Alien Enemies Act: What to know about a 1798 law that Trump has invoked for deportations Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act Saturday, granting himself sweeping powers under a centuries-old law to deport people associated with a Ve…
Trump says US has carried out strike against drug-carrying vessel that left from Venezuela President Donald Trump says the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela.Â
Appeals court finds Trump's sweeping tariffs unconstitutional But the court left the import taxes in place for now, allowing his administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The 911 presidency: Trump flexes emergency powers in his second term Despite insisting that the United States is rebounding from calamity under his watch, President Trump is harnessing emergency powers unlike an…
