In a landmark decision with potentially far-reaching consequences, a federal judge has ruled in favor of the government’s use of a seldom-invoked wartime statute to facilitate the deportation of certain Venezuelan nationals suspected of involvement in organized crime.

The ruling represents a significant development in immigration and national security policy and could signal a new phase in how authorities handle individuals associated with transnational criminal organizations.

A judge from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania issued the decision following months of legal challenges and public debate.

At the heart of the case was an executive order, signed earlier this year, which formally designated a violent gang with roots in Venezuela as a hostile foreign organization.

Officials argued that the group’s activities constituted an organized threat akin to an incursion into national territory, thereby justifying extraordinary measures under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), a law dating back to the late 18th century.