Boasberg said that while he was "sympathetic," he doesn't believe he has the authority to block more deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.

In its lawsuit, the ACLU described how one woman had her passport returned with a male designation while others are too scared to submit their passports because they fear their applications might be suspended and their passports held by the State Department.

Deportation flights have been cleared for takeoff as two Trump-appointed judges blocked attempts to pause proceedings over the use of an obscure wartime law. James Boasberg, chief judge of the Washington D.