A federal judge in Texas has ordered the release of a Venezuelan couple from immigration detention and temporarily blocked their deportation, issuing a strong rebuke to the Trump administration’s attempt to use a centuries-old wartime law to justify their removal.
U.S. District Judge David Briones, based in El Paso, ruled on April 25 that Julio Cesar Sanchez Puentes and Luddis Norelia Sanchez Garcia must be released from federal custody. The couple, who have lived in the United States since 2022 under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), had been accused of being affiliated with Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang, under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
In his decision, Briones criticized the government for relying on “multiple levels of hearsay” and found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had failed to prove any lawful reason to continue detaining the couple. The judge noted that invoking wartime powers during peacetime caused “chaos and uncertainty” not only for individuals but also for the courts tasked with evaluating such cases. Briones, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, emphasized the lack of direct evidence supporting the government’s accusations.
Sanchez Puentes and Sanchez Garcia entered the U.S. legally through El Paso on October 13, 2022. Although initially detained, they were quickly paroled and settled in the Washington, D.C. area with their three children. They were granted TPS, allowing them to live and work legally. However, on April 1, 2025, their status was revoked when ICE alleged they were associated with a foreign terrorist organization — claims that were not supported by firsthand evidence, according to the court’s findings.
After their TPS was revoked, the couple faced a series of legal battles across multiple courts. Their attorneys, led by Chris Benoit, challenged their detention in several jurisdictions. Despite an earlier ruling from a Virginia federal court that ordered their release on April 16, ICE agents re-arrested the couple at the El Paso International Airport, preventing their immediate return to their home and children.
Benoit celebrated the ruling, stating that “Cesar and Norelia have now gone in front of four different judges, none of whom thought they should be detained.” He emphasized that the couple had strong community ties, had lived peacefully in the U.S. for years, and that the government’s accusations were baseless.
The broader context of the case points to a significant policy shift spearheaded by former President Trump, who invoked the Alien Enemies Act on March 15, 2025. This rarely used 18th-century law was originally designed for wartime conditions but has been controversially applied to peacetime deportations of Venezuelan nationals accused of gang affiliations. The move triggered multiple lawsuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court recently paused deportations under this policy while further legal arguments are reviewed.
Solicitor General John Sauer defended the administration’s approach, arguing that the individuals targeted were unlawfully present and affiliated with a foreign terrorist group, thus justifying their expedited removal under the Alien Enemies Act. However, critics have warned that bypassing due process could have profound constitutional implications.
While Briones’ ruling marks a significant victory for the Venezuelan couple and their family, their legal battle may not be over. ICE could appeal, and broader challenges to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategies remain active in federal courts. For now, Sanchez Puentes and Sanchez Garcia are expected to reunite with their children in Washington, D.C., bringing temporary relief after months of legal uncertainty and separation.
