News Americas, New York, NY, May 1, 2025: A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas today delivered a major legal rebuke to the former president’s use of a centuries-old wartime statute against migrants, declaring the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) unlawful. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. also cleared the way for a class action by Venezuelan migrants detained under the AEA in South Texas. Here are five key things to know about the judge behind the groundbreaking ruling:
1. He Was Appointed by President Donald Trump In His First Term
Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. was nominated by Donald Trump in 2017 and confirmed by a nearly unanimous Senate vote in 2018. Despite his conservative credentials, Rodriguez has demonstrated independence in his judicial decisions, most recently challenging the former president’s use of an 18th-century law to justify deporting Venezuelan migrants.
2. He Has a Background in Human Rights Advocacy
Before ascending to the bench, Rodriguez led the Dominican Republic field office of International Justice Mission, an NGO that combats child sex trafficking. He previously directed similar anti-abuse efforts in Bolivia. His work helped rescue over 110 child victims and led to the conviction of 21 traffickers.
3. He Is a Yale and UT Law Graduate with a Public Service Heart
Rodriguez earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. Early in his career, he also worked as an elementary school teacher in Houston through Teach for America—highlighting a lifelong commitment to service and justice.
4. His Ruling Could Set a National Legal Precedent
Although his ruling formally applies only to Venezuelan immigrants detained in the Southern District of Texas, it marks the most extensive judicial rebuke of the Trump administration’s use of the AEA. Rodriguez concluded the law—meant for use against hostile nations during wartime—was misapplied to target Venezuelans in a peacetime immigration context.
5. He Upheld Habeas Corpus Rights for Migrants
Rodriguez broke legal ground by certifying a habeas corpus class action, an uncommon step in immigration detention cases. He emphasized that the law’s terms such as “invasion” and “predatory incursion” refer to military threats—not street gangs like Tren de Aragua cited in the Trump administration’s proclamation.
Judge Rodriguez’s 36-page decision emphasized that the executive branch lacked the authority to detain or remove Venezuelans under the AEA, a law originally enacted in 1798. A final judgment with relief for the affected migrants is expected soon.
Lee Gelernt of the ACLU, appointed as lead counsel for the class, praised the decision as a reaffirmation of legal checks on presidential power during peacetime.
