Trump Invokes 1798 War Law Against Venezuelan Gang—A First

Trump used the Alien Enemies Act—a 226-year-old wartime statute—against Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization. It's the first time the law targets a gang instead of a foreign nation. The act, activated only three times in U.S. history, grants broad detention and removal powers. Legal scholars expect swift court challenges: courts must now decide whether criminal enterprises count as "invasions" under war powers doctrine.