by Ashley Murray, Kentucky Lantern
April 19, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court early Saturday temporarily blocked a new round of deportations under the wartime Alien Enemies Act until the high court considers the case of several migrants in Texas whose lawyers say are at risk for “imminent removal.”

The justices issued the one-page order just after 1 a.m. Eastern, directing the government “not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court.”

The order was unsigned and noted conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. 

The rare overnight order followed a flurry of activity Friday after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the migrants’ appeal for a temporary restraining order.

A federal judge in the Northern District of Texas on Thursday denied the petitioners were at “imminent risk of summary removal” because immigration officials said in a previous court filing they would not deport the migrants until the district court resolved allegations that the removals are illegal.

The American Civil Liberties Union asked the Supreme Court to take up the matter Friday after the group said their clients were “loaded on to buses, presumably headed to the airport,” violating an earlier ruling from the justices.

The attorneys for Venezuelan men held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, “learned that officers at Bluebonnet have distributed notices under the Alien Enemies Act, in English only, that designate Venezuelan men for removal under the AEA, and have told the men that the removals are imminent and will happen today.”

“These removals could therefore occur at any moment,” the ACLU wrote in its application.

President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in mid-March to trigger the removals of the Venezuelans age 14 and up whom the administration suspected had ties to the Tren de Aragua gang.

The deportation flights sparked a legal challenge separately winding through the federal courts. Family members of many of the Venezuelan men say they have no gang ties and have been illegally deported without due process.

Last updated 11:09 a.m., Apr. 19, 2025

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

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by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern
April 18, 2025

Another international student’s visa has been revoked in Kentucky, this time at Murray State University.

According to local news reports, Murray State shared information about the student’s visa being revoked by the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday. A university spokesperson declined to give further information to protect the student’s privacy. 

The news comes amid Trump administration efforts to ramp up deportations. Inside Higher Ed reported that as of Friday, more than 1,550 international students and recent graduates have had their legal status changed by the U.S. State Department. 

Murray State College Democrats penned an open letter criticizing the university administration for not alerting students sooner to the visa revocation and asking for clearer information about the university’s response. “To be clear, we are not asking that personal information be released, just notification of when law enforcement is present and/or actively targeting students on campuses,” the letter says.

The College Democrats said students and their families choose colleges like Murray because they trust they will be safe there and that Murray “boasts about having international students from over 50 different countries.”

“Every student that seeks to learn at MSU has the right to do so without fear of persecution,” the letter reads. “Actions taken by administration are the only way to prove that the university cares about and will protect those rights.” 

A Murray spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment Friday afternoon. 

Earlier this month, the University of Kentucky reported a “small number” of graduate students had their visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security. Officials from private Campbellsville University told Inside Higher Ed that some of its’ international students had their visas revoked but declined to say how many.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

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SUMMARY: ICE is collaborating with several Kentucky counties to identify and arrest undocumented immigrants as part of the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. While Jefferson County does not partner with ICE, counties like Bullitt, Davis, Grayson, and Oldham are involved in a program that allows local officers to serve warrants for potential illegal immigrants in jails. These counties receive compensation for housing federal detainees, and ICE conducts regular inspections. Concerns about aggressive tactics and community fear are voiced by activists, particularly regarding the impact on local Hispanic populations. Some sheriffs acknowledge community worries while maintaining support for their partnerships with ICE.

Get the Facts: Is ICE partnering with Kentucky agencies to help with deportations?

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