U.S. Requests Seven-Day Delay in Returning Deported Venezuelans Following Maduro Arrest

The Justice Department has sought a seven-day delay from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to return a group of Venezuelan nationals who were deported under the Alien Enemies Act, asserting that rapidly evolving conditions in Venezuela make immediate compliance with court orders unfeasible.

This request follows a deadline set by Judge Boasberg last month, when he ordered the government to either facilitate the return of the individuals to the United States or provide them with hearings meeting constitutional due process requirements.

The Venezuelans at the center of the case were deported in March 2025 to El Salvador’s high-security “megaprison” after U.S. officials alleged they had ties to the violent Tren de Aragua gang. They were later transferred to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange.

In a filing submitted late Sunday, the Department of Justice cited “substantial changes” in Venezuela resulting from a U.S. military operation over the weekend that led to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. The department stated it requires additional time to determine whether returning the deportees to the United States is practical or if alternative remedies are necessary.

The DOJ characterized its request as essential for evaluating potential solutions under the new circumstances, formally asking for a seven-day extension.

This case is part of an ongoing legal dispute over the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to remove foreign nationals accused of gang activity and national security threats. In recent rulings, Judge Boasberg has found that the government failed to provide adequate due process protections for certain Venezuelan deportees, requiring either their repatriation or legally sufficient hearings.

The controversy stems from the J.G.G. v. Trump case, where courts determined that some deported Venezuelans were removed without sufficient opportunities to contest their detention or alleged gang affiliations, raising significant habeas corpus concerns.

Administration officials have maintained that the deportations were necessary to protect public safety and disrupt transnational criminal networks, particularly those linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, which has been associated with violent crime across the Western Hemisphere.