The Legal Aid Society is applauding a ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York which temporarily halts the deportation of Venezuelan noncitizens under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 without due process.

“This ruling is a critical victory for the people we represent and for the rule of law,” reads a statement from Legal Aid. “The court’s decision affirms that the United States cannot use an arcane, wartime statute during peacetime to sidestep due process and forcibly remove individuals who have come here seeking protection.”

“We applaud the court for recognizing the grave constitutional and humanitarian concerns at stake and for intervening to prevent irreversible harm,” the statement continues. “No one should be imprisoned or exiled simply because of where they come from.”

Yesterday’s emergency litigation was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and New York Civil Liberties Union. The two plaintiffs are Legal Aid clients who have pending asylum applications.

“Our clients, G.F.F. and J.G.O., have followed the legal steps required of them in their asylum process,” Legal Aid’s statement reads. “They are survivors of political repression and violence in Venezuela in search of safety and rightfully applying for humanitarian protections in the U.S.”