The March 14 directive, signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, uses an obscure 18th-century law — the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — to give law enforcement nationwide the power to bypass basic constitutional protections.
According to the memo, agents can break into a home if getting a warrant is “impracticable,” and they don’t need a judge’s approval. Instead, immigration officers can sign their own administrative warrants. The bar for action is low — a “reasonable belief” that someone might be part of a Venezuelan gang is enough.
The memo and policy are not meant to survive Constitutional challenge. It facially and clearly violates it:
No, this is meant to give the veneer of an arguably defensible policy, just enough that it ties the issue up in courts long enough for Trump to secure permanent dictatorial power, and at that point it will not to matter anymore.