Trump Invokes Racist, Wartime Law to Justify Mass Deportations—We Won’t Stand for It
Last Updated on March 17, 2025.
Washington – Win Without War Government Relations Director Eric Eikenberry responded to President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act:
“We unequivocally condemn the Trump administration’s decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) of 1798 to expedite mass deportations. This archaic law, rooted in xenophobia, is again being used to threaten the fundamental rights of countless individuals and undermine the principles of justice and equality that should define our nation.
“The AEA served as one of the legal justifications for the detention and deportation of thousands of Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants during World Wars I and II, a dark chapter in U.S. history that we must neither forget nor ever repeat.
“Now, Trump is triggering this wartime law by claiming that he’ll use it to detain and deport members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. He believes that this unlawful invocation of the AEA will allow him to suspend due process protections for any non-citizen of Venezuelan heritage – meaning hundreds of thousands of immigrants could be swept up in a detention-and-deportation dragnet. This approach unjustly scapegoats thousands upon thousands of people, using them as pawns to further the president’s political agenda. Such actions not only perpetuate racist stereotypes about immigrants, but also undermine the very fabric of our nation’s commitment to equality and human rights.
“While invoking the AEA is bad enough, doing so while the United States is not under invasion is an unprecedented and alarming authoritarian power grab. We call on Congress to act swiftly to repeal this outdated law and prevent its misuse, by passing Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Ilhan Omar’s Neighbors Not Enemies Act, ensuring that our nation’s policies reflect our commitment to human rights and the rule of law.”
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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.
March 17, 2025