Alito Calls Supreme Court Block of Venezuelan Gang Deportations ‘Legally Questionable’

The high court shunned normal procedure in blocking the removals, Justice Samuel Alito said in a dissent joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.

Associate Justice Samuel Alito poses during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington on April 23, 2021. Erin Schaff/Pool via Reuters

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito filed a strongly worded dissent from the court’s order issued early April 19 that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua.

The dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, was posted on the court’s website early on April 20.