Politics and views in the United States.

Trump Administration fights a court order on deportation flights, as lawyers say the government is overreaching on expelling migrants, and NOAA cuts could spell trouble for those concerned about weather emergencies.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

The president, through proclamation, took his authority under the Alien Enemies Act and imposed it, which he has a right to do.

TDA has been designated a terrorist organization.

TDA is the enemy of this country.

Borders are Tom Holman agrees with President Donald Trump's decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport what they say are Venezuelan gang members.

In a weekend proclamation, Trump moved to deport 200 Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, accusing them of being in the Tren de Aragua gang.

But the White House offered no proof of gang membership and family members have disputed any connection.

The proclamation was quickly challenged by a federal court order, but the deportations didn't stop in time.

The judge called for the planes to be turned around, but the administration and the government of El Salvador said they didn't get word until the migrants had left U.S. airspace.

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller says the judge's order was ill-informed and says they will fight it.

The judge, which is truly beyond comprehension and belief, issued his unlawful order without even receiving any information on this terrorist organization, on the diplomacy that had been conducted internationally by the secretary of state, any briefing from the intelligence community.

The Alien Enemies Act has only been used three times previously, all during a war declared by Congress.

But Trump says the nation is at war, calling the influx of migrants an invasion.

He also accuses the gang of organized fentanyl trafficking, but data shows native-born Americans coming through legal ports of entry bring a majority of the drug into the country.

Advocates say any migrant accused of being associated with TDA could be deported without proof or due process.

ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt says the government knowingly violated the court order by allowing the flights to leave, and he says a court hearing would give people a chance to prove the president's executive order shouldn't apply to them.

If a person does not believe they're a member of the gang, can show that, then they're not subject to the proclamation.

Yet the administration has not only invoked the act in an unprecedented and lawless way, but they have refused to give individuals the opportunity to show that they're not actually part of the gang.

Gelernt says Congress was explicit, saying the Alien Enemies Act can only be used against a foreign government that has invaded or is waging war against the U.S.

Alina Haba, a counselor to Trump, says rogue judges are trying to stand in the way of an executive decision.

Given that rhetoric and similar administration comments, legal observers say they see a possible crisis brewing in the conflict between two of the three branches of government.

Meanwhile, scientists worry the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will threaten American safety.

NOAA employees are preparing for staffing cuts of more than 1,000 jobs, up to one in five positions there.

The agency's National Weather Service provides open-source weather data the majority of U.S. forecasters use, including for warnings and advisories.

Bernadette Woods-Plackey is the chief meteorologist with Climate Central.

Because of NOAA data, we know when to evacuate ahead of storms, fires.

We know when not to evacuate, which is also really critical because that saves a lot of money and a lot of time.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.