Dar es Salaam, March 16 -- WASHINGTON: A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump from using a 227-year-old law meant to protect the US during wartime to carry out mass deportations of Venezuelans.

Trump on Saturday proclaimed immigrants belonging to the Venezuelan crime gang Tren de Aragua were “conducting irregular warfare” against the US and that he would deport them under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

But US District Judge James Boasberg on Saturday evening ordered a halt to deportations covered by the proclamation that will last for 14 days, according to media reports.

Judge Boasberg told a hearing he had heard planes with deportees were taking off and ordered them turned back, the Washington Post reported.

T...