Alien Enemies Act deportations blocked by appeals court

Driving the news: Judge Patricia Millett wrote that "there is neither jurisdiction nor reason" for the appeals court to interfere at this point, or "to allow the government to singlehandedly moot the Plaintiffs' claims by immediately removing them beyond the reach of their lawyers or the court."

• Judge Justin Walker, who dissented, wrote that the district court in D.C. is not the right place to hear the case, and that "the Government likely faces irreparable harm to ongoing, highly sensitive international diplomacy and national-security operations."

Catch up quick: The Trump administration earlier this month defied U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's court order barring the deportation of those the White House alleged are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

• The administration claimed the two deportation flights, which were not turned around as per the judge's order, had taken off before the written order came through and were justified under the Alien Enemies Act.

• The administration also argued that it did comply with the order since no deportation flights took off from the U.S. after the written order came down.
• Boasberg has refused to lift the ban on the deportations and slammed the Justice Department for rushing to invoke the wartime law.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.