Trump Deportation Timeline and Analysis

Top Gun: Maverick, My Cousin Vinny, and Ain't No Stopping Us Now

Below is a timeline of key events related to these deportations of Venezuelan gang members, particularly those allegedly affiliated with Tren de Aragua.

They are contextualized with earlier developments.

“Remember the context” quote attributed to British PM Benjamin Disraeli comes to mind.

Here is the ACTUAL language from the Alien Enemies Act

Legislature writes the law, the Executive carries out the law, and Judicial Branch interprets the law. Rinse and repeat. Constitutional democracy.

Here is an excellent analysis from AEI’s Jack Landman Goldsmith:

The Alien Enemies Act and Trump’s Power Struggle with Courts

The Trump administration does not seem worried about the possibly adverse implications of its anti-judicial actions and rhetoric on Supreme Court decision-making. But it does care a lot about winning, and about looking like it is winning. The Supreme Court is inclined to a broad view of presidential power. But it is also surely inclined to preserve judicial independence in the face of an administration that has been dangerously ambiguous about the lengths to which it will go—in terms of norm breaking, law violation, and court defiance—to notch wins.

Emphasis :

The most recent and relevant events from Trump’s second term, particularly the high-profile deportation to El Salvador, while briefly noting prior context.

Pre-2025 Context

• Pre-2021 (Trump’s First Term): Trump’s initial administration prioritized deportations, but Venezuela’s refusal to accept deportees limited removals. Some Venezuelans were deported via third countries, though specific gang-related data is sparse.

• 2021–2024 (Biden Administration): The Biden administration granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to many Venezuelans in 2021, extended through 2024, shielding approximately 275,000 unauthorized Venezuelan immigrants from deportation, per Pew Research estimates. This included some later alleged to be Tren de Aragua members. Deportation efforts were stymied as Venezuela rarely accepted returnees, and cases of gang members arrested in cities like New York and Chicago (e.g., May 2024) saw deportations blocked by TPS or logistical issues.

• Late 2024: Trump’s re-election campaign highlighted Tren de Aragua’s growing U.S. presence—linked to crimes like sex trafficking and murders—as a justification for aggressive immigration policies.

Trump’s Second Term: 2025 Deportation Timeline

• January 20, 2025: Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President. His administration immediately signals intent to reverse Biden-era immigration policies, including TPS for Venezuelans, and targets gang members for rapid removal.

• January 29, 2025: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under new leadership, announces the withdrawal of Biden’s TPS order, claiming it allowed “unvetted illegal immigrants,” including Tren de Aragua members, to remain. This sets the stage for deportations, though specific actions aren’t detailed yet.

• February 2025 (Exact Date Unspecified): Diplomatic talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele reportedly finalize an agreement for El Salvador to accept Venezuelan deportees for a fee (later cited as $6 million for 300 individuals). This bypasses Venezuela’s refusal to take returnees.

• March 11, 2025: Early enforcement under the “Laken Riley Act” (passed in Trump’s term to target criminal immigrants) sees 14 Tren de Aragua members arrested in South Florida over three days, signaling intensified gang-focused operations. Deportations aren’t confirmed here, but it marks a precursor.

• March 15, 2025: Trump signs a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, designating Tren de Aragua as an “invading force” conducting “irregular warfare” against the U.S. This wartime law allows rapid deportation of Venezuelan nationals over 14 suspected of gang ties, without due process, effective immediately.

• March 15–16, 2025 (Evening to Overnight):

  • Flight Departures: Two flights carrying deportees take off from Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, bound for San Salvador, El Salvador. FlightRadar24 data shows a Global Crossing Airlines plane (tail number N837VA) departing Saturday afternoon, landing in San Salvador late Saturday night. A second flight’s timing is less precise but aligns with this window.

  • Court Challenge: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) files an emergency lawsuit on behalf of five Venezuelans, arguing the Alien Enemies Act doesn’t apply in peacetime. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg holds a hearing Saturday evening (March 15).

  • Judicial Order: At 6:44 PM EDT, Boasberg verbally orders the Trump administration to halt deportations and return any flights in progress. The written order appears in the docket at 7:25 PM EDT (00:25 GMT March 16). However, the flights are already airborne or have landed, rendering the order moot.

• March 16, 2025 (Morning):

  • Arrival in El Salvador: Bukele announces at 7:46 AM EDT on X that 238 alleged Tren de Aragua members and 23 MS-13 members (261 total) arrived in El Salvador. They are transferred to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a mega-prison in Tecoluca, for a renewable one-year term. Video evidence shows shackled men disembarking, heads shaved upon arrival.

  • White House Response: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt states 137 were removed under the Alien Enemies Act, with others under standard immigration proceedings, claiming compliance as deportees were “already removed from U.S. territory” before the written order.

• March 17, 2025:

  • Fact-Finding Hearing: Judge Boasberg demands the administration explain the deportation timeline, questioning why flights continued post-order. DOJ attorney Abhishek Kambli admits two flights departed during a hearing break but argues they were beyond U.S. jurisdiction when the order took effect. Boasberg calls this a “heck of a stretch” and orders detailed flight data by March 18.

  • Public Backlash: Venezuela condemns the deportations as “criminalizing migration,” while Amnesty International labels it “racist targeting.” Families of deportees, like Johanny Sánchez, claim loved ones (e.g., Franco Caraballo) were misidentified, lacking gang ties or criminal records.

• March 18–19, 2025:

  • Ongoing Dispute: The DOJ appeals Boasberg’s ruling, asserting judicial overreach in foreign affairs. Families report deportees vanishing from ICE’s detainee tracking system, heightening confusion. Bukele and Rubio confirm the operation’s success, with Rubio noting MS-13 “top leaders” were included.

• March 21, 2025 (Present Day): The deported 261 remain in CECOT. Legal battles continue over the Alien Enemies Act’s use, with no further mass deportation flights confirmed as of 1:54 PM EDT today. The administration hints at more actions, but specifics are pending.

Key Notes

• Scale: The March 16 deportation of 261 is the largest single gang-related removal in Trump’s second term so far, though smaller operations (e.g., the 14 in Florida) preceded it.

• Controversy: Critics argue the lack of transparency—neither the U.S. nor El Salvador released deportee identities or evidence of gang affiliation—violates due process. The administration counters that gang threats justify swift action.

• Future: Trump’s mass deportation pledge suggests more operations, potentially targeting thousands, though logistical and legal hurdles remain.

Timeline courtesy of Grok AI.

Bottom Line:

Donald Trump is the pushing the envelope on immigration. His base loves it and so do many independents = political win.

Donald Trump’s administration bending the knee to the judicial branch and stopping any more flights is a win for the Constitution as well as the Founding Fathers. They’ll appeal and appeal. Good. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.

Divided government works and so do three branches with checks and balances.

Attacks on the judiciary are wrong, should not be tolerated - AT ALL - and need to stop.

To be honest, the whole Not Turning the Plane Around move is a *chef’s kiss* political move. Well played. I tip my hat.

Recalls Top Gun: Maverick scene.

Trump is at Mach 10 right now.

TGIF at Mar A Lago this afternoon:

Scene from courtroom soon: