Court halts order to return 2nd wrongfully deported man
Share this @internewscast.com

President Donald Trump leaves after signing an executive order during an event announcing new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington (AP Photo/Evan Vucci).

A Texas judge on Friday handed the Trump administration a win in an Alien Enemies Act (AEA) case by blocking several immigrant detainees from pursuing their claims as a group, or collectively.

In a 48-page ruling, U.S. District Judge James Hendrix, who was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, determined that the three petitioners were too “distinct” and “diverse” in terms of facts, claims, and potential solutions to form a cohesive class.

The underlying litigation is one of many AEA cases directly tracing its lineage to the U.S. Supreme Court’s blockbuster April 7 ruling, which dissolved a nationwide injunction barring summary deportations under the auspices of the obscure 18th-century wartime law. Simultaneously, the nine justices agreed the government could not use the AEA without due process and prescribed the use of habeas corpus petitions.

Hendrix, in his order, is ever mindful of the Supreme Court’s guidance. The judge goes so far as to stay the effect of his ruling until the detainees have the opportunity to seek and receive — or be denied — consideration at the highest level.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

While not necessarily a setback for the detained immigrants who are currently parties to the litigation, the district court’s order frustrates the American Civil Liberties Union’s efforts to litigate on behalf of any other potential detainees “who were, are, or will be” under the AEA deportation dragnet in the sprawling Northern District of Texas.

For now, however, the court agreed with a government filing arguing the petitioners lack “commonality and typicality” required under the relevant rule of civil procedure that governs class certification.

“The petitioners bring many independent claims driven by individual circumstances, rendering them atypical from potential class members,” the order goes on. “Moreover, the petitioners’ varying circumstances prevent them from satisfying Rule 23(b)(2)’s uniformity-of-relief requirement.”

In the class certification request, the petitioners “focus almost exclusively” on the argument that Trump’s AEA proclamation “is invalid,” the order notes. While such an argument provides a notable measure of harmony throughout the would-be class, Hendrix says it’s insufficient.

“[T]he Court cannot assume that this argument will prevail and ignore the several additional claims,” Hendrix explains. “And those claims are highly individualized and would prove unworkable as a class due to atypicality.”

The judge delineates how this might play out, at length:

[W]hile the three petitioners have filed asylum applications, the Court has no way of knowing how many putative class members have pending asylum applications or intend to file asylum applications. This distinction is material. If the petitioners do not prevail on their first claim regarding the President’s Proclamation, but do prevail on their third claim for relief regarding the application of the INA’s asylum provisions, then the due process required for members of the class would differ depending on whether the member of the putative class seeks to file or has already filed an asylum application.

In other words, the court envisions a scenario where asylum claims protect some people contesting an AEA designation, while the asylum theory of protection might not even be available to others.

The judge goes through each of the petitioners’ various other claims, aside from asylum, and points out in each instance that the relevant inquiries require an assessment of facts. Such assessments, the court says, weigh against finding typicality among detainees.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Intoxicated Driver in Michigan Hits Family Departing Festival, Resulting in the Death of a 3-Year-Old and Injuries to Twin Sister: Police Report

A woman from Michigan, who was driving on a suspended license, reportedly…

Deputies Report Woman Accused of Killing Roommate and Attempting to Poison Neighbors

Context: Kore Bommeli Adams in a court appearance in Dane County, Wisconsin…

Prisoner Accused of Fatally Shooting Guard with Guard’s Gun at Clinic

Left: Kelvin Simmons (Buncombe County Sheriff”s Office) Right: Francisco Flattes (Cherokee County…

Ten Masked Intruders Armed with Machetes Disrupt Party

A teenage boy was allegedly slashed with a machete after ten people…

Tragic Hit-and-Run at Fireworks Show Claims Life of 3-Year-Old Boy

Background: The location of the accident at Lyndon Street and Merriman Road…

Trump’s Attempt to Cut Science Research Funding Fails

President Donald Trump participates in a meeting with the Fraternal Order of…

Diddy Faced a Different Controversy Long Before His Sex Trafficking Trial

On the day Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted on charges of transportation…

Mother Sentenced to 20 Years for Mistreating Her Toddlers

Samantha Woods (Jackson County Sheriff”s Office). An Alabama woman will spend just…

Released Suspect Detained Again for Mop Handle Assault on Store Clerk

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – D’Andre Vanshon Jemel Anderson, 29, was taken…

Mothers Call for Halt on Enforcement of Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order

President Donald Trump addresses a joint press conference with Elon Musk in…

Teen Arrested in Connection with Fatal Stabbing of Western Australia Father

Tawhai Walker Loughlin turned 18 just two months ago but could now…

Gainesville Resident Accused of Assaulting 14-Year-Old Runaway

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 26-year-old named McNish Mathis Tuzon Hampton…