Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deports Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador — The Trump administration deported over 200 Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, including individuals accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. The deportees, some of whom appeared in a video by El Salvador's president, face at least a year in a Salvadorian jail. A lawyer for one deportee, an LGBTQ+ artist, claims the accusations are baseless and part of a psychological warfare campaign against asylum seekers. The deportations are seen as an effort to deter asylum claims in the U.S.
• US deports Venezuelan makeup artist to El Salvador prison based on crown tattoos misidentified as gang symbols — Andry José Hernández Romero, a 31-year-old Venezuelan gay makeup artist and hairdresser, was detained after crossing the US border in August 2024 to attend an asylum appointment. He claimed persecution based on sexual orientation and political views. US immigration officers at Otay Mesa detention centre classified his two wrist crown tattoos—a religious and cultural tradition commemorating Three Kings Day celebrations in his hometown of Capacho—as evidence of membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. On 15 March 2025, Hernández was deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador as part of Trump's mass deportation campaign, despite having no criminal record and community attestations of innocence.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration detains and attempts to deport Maryland teenager under Alien Enemies Act — Javier Salazar, a 19-year-old Venezuelan who arrived in the US as an unaccompanied minor in 2022 and was attending school with no criminal record, was arrested by ICE agents in Maryland in mid-March 2025 based on alleged gang affiliation determined from social media images (reportedly a toy water pistol). He was transferred to detention facilities in Virginia and Texas, then loaded onto a deportation bus headed to El Salvador on April 30, 2025. A last-minute Supreme Court emergency order blocked the removal, but the administration claims it will continue deportations if courts deny emergency stays, allowing only 12–24 hours for detainees to contest removal.

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• Trump administration revokes visas and terminates legal status of 1,000+ international students — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has revoked visas or terminated legal status for at least 901 students across 128 colleges and universities since mid-March 2025, with some sources citing over 1,300 affected students. Students report being targeted for minor infractions such as traffic violations or for unclear reasons. International students have filed lawsuits against DHS arguing lack of due process. A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a restraining order in one case. The administration has cited pro-Palestinian activism in some high-profile cases but colleges report no protest involvement in the vast majority of revocations.

Supporting reports

• US deports Venezuelan makeup artist to El Salvador prison based on crown tattoos misidentified as gang symbols — Andry José Hernández Romero, a 31-year-old Venezuelan gay makeup artist and hairdresser, was detained after crossing the US border in August 2024 to attend an asylum appointment. He claimed persecution based on sexual orientation and political views. US immigration officers at Otay Mesa detention centre classified his two wrist crown tattoos—a religious and cultural tradition commemorating Three Kings Day celebrations in his hometown of Capacho—as evidence of membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. On 15 March 2025, Hernández was deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador as part of Trump's mass deportation campaign, despite having no criminal record and community attestations of innocence.

Supporting reports

• ICE deports Maryland man with protected legal status to El Salvador, blames administrative error — Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Kilmer Armado Ábrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national residing in Maryland with his wife and five-year-old child, to El Salvador on 15 March 2025, despite his having been granted "withholding of removal" status by an immigration judge in October 2019—a protected status preventing return to his home country. ICE acknowledged the deportation as an "administrative error" in court documents filed Monday, stating Garcia was placed on a deportation flight as an alternate when other detainees were removed. The Trump administration claimed it lacks jurisdiction to return him now that he is in Salvadoran custody. Garcia is currently detained at Cecot, El Salvador's notorious mega-prison.
• ICE detains and deports Kilmar Ábrego García without hearing despite withholding of removal order — On March 12, 2025, ICE officers detained Kilmar Ábrego García and informed him his immigration status had changed. Three days later, on March 15, 2025, he was deported to El Salvador without a hearing and sent to a maximum-security prison, despite holding a "withholding of removal" order granted by an immigration judge in 2019 that explicitly prevented deportation to El Salvador due to credible fear of persecution.

Supporting reports

• House Democrats delegation visits El Salvador to challenge Trump administration's refusal to facilitate return of deported immigrant — Four House Democrats (Ansari, Dexter, Frost, Garcia) traveled to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Ábrego García, a man with protected legal status who was wrongly deported on March 15 following an "administrative error." The Trump administration has refused to comply with a Supreme Court order directing it to facilitate Ábrego García's return to the US, despite acknowledging the deportation was unlawful. The delegation met with US embassy officials and demanded proof of life and access to counsel.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration revokes visas and terminates legal status of 1,000+ international students — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has revoked visas or terminated legal status for at least 901 students across 128 colleges and universities since mid-March 2025, with some sources citing over 1,300 affected students. Students report being targeted for minor infractions such as traffic violations or for unclear reasons. International students have filed lawsuits against DHS arguing lack of due process. A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a restraining order in one case. The administration has cited pro-Palestinian activism in some high-profile cases but colleges report no protest involvement in the vast majority of revocations.

Supporting reports

• Judge blocks Trump from using Alien Enemies Act for deportations — A federal judge, James Boasberg, issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport five Venezuelan nationals. The administration had invoked the act, claiming the Venezuelans were part of the Tren de Aragua gang, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The judge's decision came in response to a lawsuit by the ACLU and Democracy Forward, arguing the act was unlawfully invoked during peacetime. The restraining order prevents deportations for 14 days, maintaining the status quo until a hearing is set.
• U.S. District Judge blocks deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members — U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration's deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members. The ruling was based on the lack of hearings for the individuals to present evidence against their alleged gang affiliation. The administration had invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify the deportations without due process.
• Judge Boasberg issued temporary restraining order blocking Alien Enemies Act deportations — US District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants and ordered planes carrying migrants out of the country to immediately turn around. The administration defied the order, with three planes landing in El Salvador and more than 135 migrants deported.
• Judge halts deportation under Alien Enemies Act — A federal judge, James Boasberg, issued an immediate halt to the deportation of five Venezuelan nationals, blocking the Trump administration's attempt to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The administration had invoked this wartime law, claiming the Venezuelans were part of a gang conducting hostile actions against the U.S. The judge's order required any planes already in the air to be turned around. This decision came in response to a lawsuit by civil liberties organizations arguing the act's misuse during peacetime.

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• Federal judge blocks deportation of Mahmoud Khalil — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate and green card holder, who was detained by immigration officers. Khalil's detention was part of a broader campaign against pro-Palestinian activists on university campuses. The judge is considering an appeal to move Khalil from a detention center in Louisiana back to New York. This legal intervention highlights the contentious nature of the administration's immigration enforcement actions.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi issues statement opposing federal judge's deportation block — Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued a statement on March 15, 2025, characterizing a federal judge's order blocking deportations as prioritizing terrorist organizations over public safety. Bondi alleged the order disregards presidential authority and stated the Department of Justice would continue efforts with the White House and Department of Homeland Security to enforce deportations, framing the effort as stopping an "invasion."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration invokes Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan migrants — The Trump administration issued a proclamation on March 15 invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime law permitting deportation of foreign nationals during wars or "invasions," to deport Venezuelan migrants accused of membership in Tren de Aragua gang. The administration claimed gang activities constitute an invasion justifying use of the 225-year-old war powers statute. Hundreds of Venezuelan men, including individuals with no apparent gang affiliations, were deported to El Salvador without immigration hearings, with at least one 23-year-old gay makeup artist shipped to a notorious prison based on misinterpreted tattoos.
• Trump administration deported alleged gang members to El Salvador — On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador without due process. Approximately 200 individuals were flown from Texas to San Salvador, despite a federal judge's order to halt the flights. The deportees were sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Reports indicate that many of those deported may not be gang members, with tattoos being used as the primary evidence of gang affiliation. The legality of the deportation under the Alien Enemies Act is disputed.
• Deportation of 230+ Venezuelan men to El Salvador without hearing using Alien Enemies Act — The US deported more than 230 Venezuelan men to a mega-prison in El Salvador in mid-March without a hearing, despite a federal judge attempting to halt the flights. Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA), a law meant only for wartime, to avoid due process requirements. This prompted court challenges led by the ACLU. Chief Justice John Roberts rebuked the president when he threatened the judge. The Supreme Court majority did not stop Trump from using the AEA but unanimously reaffirmed the right to due process and habeas corpus challenges. Most of the men are reportedly not violent criminals or gang members, according to a New York Times investigation. Many were accused of gang membership based on tattoos.
• Trump administration files emergency appeals on birthright citizenship — The Trump administration filed a series of emergency appeals asking the Supreme Court to allow the president to proceed with plans to end birthright citizenship. This legal maneuver seeks to challenge the constitutional guarantee of citizenship by birth.
• Trump invoked Alien Enemies Act to arrest and deport noncitizens without due process — Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, claiming to target Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua but with implications for countless noncitizens lacking ties to the gang. US District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting deportations under the act and ordering planes to turn around. The Trump administration defied the order; three planes landed in El Salvador, and more than 135 of 300 migrants were deported using the act.
• Trump administration invokes Alien Enemies Act for deportations — The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify deportations without due process, circumventing immigration courts. This act has historically been used only during wartime. Critics argue this move undermines legal protections for migrants and asylum seekers, raising concerns about executive overreach and the erosion of due process rights.
• Trump administration plans to invoke Alien Enemies Act — The Trump administration is planning to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime authority, to arrest and deport certain noncitizens without due process. This act was historically used to justify Japanese internment during World War II.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deports Venezuelans despite court order — The Trump administration deported approximately 250 alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, invoking the Alien Enemies Act. This action occurred despite a verbal order from U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg to halt the deportations and return any flights already in progress. The administration argued that the deportees were no longer in U.S. territory when the order was issued, thus claiming the order was not applicable. A hearing was scheduled to address the administration's compliance with the court order.
• US deports 250 alleged gang members to El Salvador despite court ruling — The US deported over 250 alleged gang members to El Salvador, defying a US federal judge's ruling to halt the flights. The deportations were justified by invoking the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law. The deportees included members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the Salvadoran gang MS-13. The US administration claimed the judge had no authority to block the deportations, while the judge had ordered flights to return. The deportations are part of a deal with El Salvador to hold the individuals in a large detention center.
• Administration violates court order on deportations — Reports indicated that the Trump administration may have violated Judge Boasberg's order by allowing deportation flights to proceed despite the restraining order. The judge had ordered that any planes in the air carrying the targeted individuals be returned to the United States, but flights continued to El Salvador.
• Trump administration defies court order on deportations — The Trump administration did not recall deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants despite a federal judge's instructions. The administration argued that the judge's verbal instructions were not included in the formal written order, and thus did not need to be followed. The deportation flights, which had already taken off, landed in El Salvador. The administration's actions have raised questions about the limits of judicial authority and the administration's compliance with court orders.

Supporting reports

• Bove instructed DOJ to ignore federal court order blocking deportations — During a March 14, 2025 meeting, Emil Bove told DOJ officials that planes carrying individuals subject to deportation under the Alien Enemies Act "needed to take off no matter what" and stated the DOJ would need to consider telling courts "fuck you" and ignore any court order blocking the removals. On March 15, after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order halting the deportations, Bove directed that the flights proceed anyway, instructing DHS that the court order did not apply because the planes had left U.S. airspace before the written order was issued—a legal position contradicted by binding judicial authority.

Supporting reports

• Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua — President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act to address the threat posed by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The proclamation directs the apprehension, detention, and removal of TdA members within the United States who are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security are tasked with executing these actions, utilizing federal and state resources to ensure public safety.
• Trump ended birthright citizenship — President Donald Trump ended birthright citizenship, a significant change to immigration policy that affects the status of children born in the United States to non-citizen parents. This move challenges the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
• Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua members — President Trump issued a proclamation on March 15, 2025, invoking the Alien Enemies Act (50 U.S.C. 21 et seq.) to declare members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on February 20, 2025, as alien enemies subject to apprehension and removal. The proclamation directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to apprehend, detain, and remove all Venezuelan citizens aged 14 or older who are TdA members and present in the United States without lawful permanent resident or naturalized status. The order authorizes summary apprehension, detention pending removal, property seizure, and mandates all federal agencies and state/local officials to collaborate in enforcement.

Supporting reports

• US Border Patrol issues statement on border crossing deaths — The US Border Patrol issued a statement following the deaths of three individuals attempting to cross the US-Mexico border near San Diego, California. The individuals died in the Otay Mountain wilderness due to harsh terrain and cold weather conditions. The statement highlighted the dangers of crossing the border illegally, emphasizing the extreme conditions and risks involved. The statement was made by Jeffrey D Stalnaker, the acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego sector, who warned against illegal crossings due to the unpredictable and unforgiving nature of the terrain.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration arrests and detains foreign students and academics for pro-Palestinian activism — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested and detained multiple foreign-born students and academics on visas or green cards, citing their roles in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Cases include Mahmoud Khalil (Palestinian green-card holder detained in Louisiana for three months), Rümeysa Öztürk (Turkish Fulbright scholar detained in Louisiana despite court order), Mohsen Mahdawi (Palestinian green-card holder arrested during citizenship interview), Yunseo Chung (South Korean student arrested and targeted for deportation), Alireza Doroudi (Iranian student denied bond), and Badar Khan Suri (Indian postdoctoral fellow detained in Louisiana and Texas). The government invoked obscure immigration law to justify detaining and deporting people for constitutionally protected free speech deemed adverse to US foreign policy. Some were released on bail or court order; others faced ongoing deportation proceedings.

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• Trump administration defunds US Agency for Global Media — On 14 March, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America and provides grants to Radio Free Asia and other international news agencies. The agency employed approximately 3,500 staff with an $886m annual budget. Foreign workers on visas face deportation to authoritarian countries where they risk imprisonment or death. Two VoA contributors are imprisoned in Myanmar and Vietnam; four Radio Free Asia contributors are imprisoned in Vietnam. Federal workers, journalists, and labor unions filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse the shutdown.
• Trump signed executive order rescinding 17 additional Biden-era executive actions and memoranda — President Trump signed an executive order on March 14, 2025, rescinding 17 additional executive actions, memoranda, and determinations issued by the Biden administration. The rescissions include orders on COVID-19 response, federal contractor minimum wage, LGBTQ+ human rights abroad, apprenticeships, worker empowerment, tribal self-determination, biotechnology innovation, and various Defense Production Act determinations related to infant formula, solar modules, insulation, electrolyzers, and heat pumps. The order states the rescissions are necessary to "restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of American citizens."
• White House issued executive order directing elimination of seven federal agencies and components — The White House issued an executive order on March 14, 2025, directing the elimination of non-statutory components and functions of seven federal entities: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the United States Agency for Global Media, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency. The order requires each entity to reduce to minimum statutory functions within 7 days and directs OMB to reject funding requests inconsistent with the order.

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• Nearly 100 Protesters Arrested at Trump Tower — On March 13, 2025, nearly 100 protesters were arrested at Trump Tower in New York City. The demonstration, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, aimed to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University student detained by U.S. immigration authorities. Protesters occupied the lobby of the building, chanting slogans and wearing T-shirts with messages opposing U.S. support for Israel. The New York police charged the arrested individuals with trespassing, obstruction, and resisting arrest. The protest highlighted concerns over Khalil's detention under a rarely used immigration law provision.

Supporting reports

• Venezuelan man files lawsuit against Trump administration for illegal deportation — A Venezuelan man, Neiyerver Rengel, filed a federal civil lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming he was wrongly identified as a gang member, repeatedly denied due process, falsely imprisoned, intentionally deceived, and illegally sent to CECOT in El Salvador. Rengel was in the U.S. awaiting a scheduled immigration hearing set for 2028 when he was caught in the administration's scheme on March 13, 2025. He is seeking $1.3 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges the administration's objective was not solely deportation but also to punish the entire population of Venezuelans pursuing immigration in the United States.

Supporting reports

• Mass detention and covert deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador without notification or due process — Federal immigration agents detained scores of Venezuelan migrants in the US without informing families of their whereabouts or charges. At least 252 Venezuelans, including Neiyerver Rengel (detained March 13 in Irving, Texas) and Ricardo Prada Vásquez (detained January in Detroit), were secretly flown to El Salvador's "terrorism confinement" prison on allegations of gang affiliation, with no public registry of names, charges, or conditions. Families learned of detainees' locations only through news reports weeks later. The Department of Homeland Security has refused to publish a register of prisoners' names or provide due-process information.

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• Trump administration requests Supreme Court to allow birthright citizenship order — The Trump administration, through acting solicitor general Sarah Harris, has filed a request with the Supreme Court to allow the enforcement of an executive order restricting birthright citizenship. This request seeks to limit the scope of preliminary injunctions issued by district judges in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington that currently block the order. The executive order aims to prevent children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents from obtaining citizenship. The administration argues that universal injunctions hinder the executive branch's constitutional functions.
• Trump administration requests SCOTUS to allow birthright citizenship order — The Trump administration has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to permit the enforcement of an executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship. The Justice Department's acting solicitor general, Sarah Harris, filed the request to lift district court orders blocking the order in three states. This move is part of ongoing efforts to alter the interpretation of the 14th Amendment regarding citizenship.

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• Family deported despite child's medical condition — A family with a 10-year-old girl who recently underwent brain cancer surgery was detained and deported while on their way to a doctor's appointment in Houston, TX. The girl and her siblings are U.S. citizens, but their parents are not. The incident highlights ongoing immigration enforcement issues under the Trump administration.

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• Trump administration resumes family detention for immigrants — The Trump administration has resumed the practice of detaining immigrant families, re-operationalizing two family detention centers in Texas. This move reverses the Biden administration's 2021 decision to suspend family detention in favor of surveillance methods. The detention centers are expected to generate significant revenue for private prison corporations like CoreCivic. The policy has been criticized for its impact on children, with reports of inadequate care and harsh conditions. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations have condemned the practice as unsafe and unjust.

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• DOJ subpoenas New York migrant shelter — The Department of Justice under the Trump administration issued a criminal subpoena to a Manhattan hotel that houses undocumented immigrants. The subpoena demands a list of full names, dates of birth, nationality, and identification numbers of the residents, as well as information about New York City government officials involved in funding the shelter programs. This action is part of the administration's intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants and has sparked criticism from immigration advocates.
• Justice Department subpoenas migrant shelter for resident names — The Trump administration's Justice Department issued a criminal subpoena to a Manhattan hotel providing shelter to undocumented immigrants, demanding the names of residents. This action is part of a broader effort to enforce immigration laws and could lead to increased scrutiny and potential deportation of asylum seekers residing in the shelter.

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• Erroneous deportation of legally resident immigrant to El Salvador — Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant with legal work permit status living in Maryland, was detained by immigration agents on March 12 and subsequently deported to El Salvador in violation of a prior court order. US District Judge Paula Xinis ruled his detention and removal "wholly lawless," finding no legal grounds for arrest or removal and no evidence of criminal conduct. Garcia had complied fully with all immigration directives and was never charged with any crime. The Trump administration had accused him of gang affiliation without evidence or pending charges. Garcia is now detained in El Salvador's Cecot prison.