Washington D.C. – April 19 2025 — The Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction suspending deportations under an archaic 1798 immigration law, due to concerns regarding its constitutional validity and potential misuse.
Emergency Ruling #606, issued late Friday evening, puts on hold the enforcement of Alien Enemies Act — one of four statutes passed under Alien and Sedition Acts — which had been temporarily used by Biden administration officials during times of national security concern to expedite removals of noncitizens from US territory.
Civil rights groups and immigration advocates had filed legal challenges against the law alleging its outdated nature, vague wording, and violation of due process protections. Critics allege it gives executive branch too broad powers to detain and deport foreign nationals without proper legal safeguards in place.
Justices ruled 5-4 that enforcement would be suspended while lower federal courts conducted a wider constitutional review of an 18th-century statute currently used to guide modern immigration policy. This majority opinion, though unsigned, expressed “serious reservations.”
“Relying upon an outmoded law without modern Congressional oversight raises serious constitutional concerns,” stated the order.
The Alien Enemies Act, first passed in 1798 and later amended, grants the United States government authority to detain or deport nationals of hostile countries during wartime or national emergency situations. Though rarely invoked nowadays, its existence and recent reference remain on record and have even come into play amid increased tensions with foreign adversaries.
The Biden administration justified their limited use of law by noting it had been applied “narrowly and lawfully” in cases involving individuals linked with state-sponsored cyber threats or terrorism.
Advocacy organizations generally welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention. Maria Alvarez, legal director at Immigrant Justice Collective praised it as a victory for constitutional rights and human dignity: “Nobody should be subject to removal under laws written centuries ago without modern legal protections.”
Legal experts note that the court’s move sets off an expansive debate regarding how old national security laws intersect with current immigration policy and civil liberties issues.
As the legal proceedings move forward, a temporary freeze will provide relief to thousands of affected individuals — at least temporarily.