A United States federal judge on Saturday temporarily blocked any deportations that would occur under President Donald Trump’s use of a little-used wartime law to expedite the expulsion of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Trump had in the early hours invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against the group, saying the United States was facing an invasion from a criminal organization that has been linked to kidnapping, extortion, organized crime and contract killings.

Judge James Boasberg, who gave a temporary restraining order for 14 days, said the act does not provide a basis for the president’s proclamation given that the terms invasion, predatory incursion really relate to hostile acts perpetrated by any nation and commensurate to war.

Trump, while invoking the act, said members of the gang were conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States with the goal of destabilizing the nation.

DAILY POST reports that the act, which has only been used in times of war, could allow the president to bypass the due process rights of migrants categorized as threats and rapidly deport them.

While the proclamation was released by the White House on Saturday, the wording suggests Trump signed it on Friday.

According to Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, who argued for the order in a hearing on Saturday, the proclamation is as lawless as anything the Trump administration has done.

“We are on very dangerous ground when the administration is going to try to use wartime authority, when we’re at peace, for immigration purposes or any other non-military purpose,” Gelernt said.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in his judgment, said Boasberg had supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans.

“This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk,” she said in a statement.

US judge temporarily blocks Trump’s use of wartime powers to target Venezuelan gang members