Brennan questions Trump's deportation flights to El Salvador

On Sunday, CBS anchor Margaret Brennan had a tense exchange with White House official Mike Waltz on the show "Face the Nation." They discussed the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected gang members. This includes members of the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua. However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked this action. Waltz stated that the American public is tired of gang violence. He defended the deportation flights, responding to Brennan's comments that no one is defending gangs. Brennan expressed concerns about how the deportations are being conducted, highlighting recent mistakes. One deportee was sent to El Salvador despite not being Venezuelan, and another was rejected because she was a woman who couldn't be held in a maximum-security setting. When Brennan asked about these mistakes, Waltz avoided specifics but confirmed that the Trump administration considers the Tren de Aragua gang a terrorist organization. He argued that the Alien Enemies Act is appropriate in this context since they believe the gang operates as a proxy for the Venezuelan government. Brennan challenged Waltz's assertion, questioning whether the U.S. is technically at war with Venezuela since the act is typically invoked in wartime. Waltz insisted that President Trump is taking necessary actions to eliminate threats from these gangs, mentioning connections between foreign elements and domestic crime. As the conversation continued, they explored the implications of these actions. Brennan highlighted the promise from Attorney General Pam Bondi to escalate the issue to the Supreme Court if required. Waltz maintained that the government would continue to act decisively against these perceived threats.