Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has joined a coalition of 25 states in a legal effort backing former President Donald Trump’s authority to deport members of Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
The coalition filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, arguing that President Trump’s actions fall well within the legal powers granted under Article II of the U.S. Constitution and the Alien Enemies Act. The brief asserts that deporting individuals tied to Tren de Aragua is a lawful and necessary measure to protect public safety.
The filing details the gang’s ties to murders, human trafficking, and organized crime across the U.S., calling its presence a threat not only to domestic security but part of a broader campaign supported by Venezuela’s Maduro regime. The brief warns against judicial overreach that could hinder the President’s constitutional duty to defend the nation.
Joining Missouri in the filing are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
