WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Trump administration deported hundreds of migrants over the weekend even as a federal judge’s order temporarily blocked the efforts. President Trump invoked an 18th century wartime declaration to target Venezuelan gang members.

Officials say the deportations continued because the flights were already in the air at the time of the order but now there’s debate over whether the president can use this declaration.

“These are criminals,” said Trump.

President Trump stands by his decision to deport migrants by invoking the Alien Enemies Act which was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II.

The Trump administration says it deported hundreds of Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador as a federal judge’s order temporarily blocked the efforts.

Officials say the flights were already in the air at the time of the ruling, but the judge verbally ordered the planes to turn around.

“That was a bad group of, as I say, hombres,” said Trump.

South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds deferred to the courts.

“I don’t know about the timing on it. I do know that we will follow the law. We expect the executive branch to follow the law,” said Rounds.

Texas Democrat Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett said using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants is wrong.

“We can’t trust this administration to actually use a scalpel, but instead they love to use a butcher knife on things,” said Crockett.

Attorneys for five Venezuelans deported say they’re concerned they’ve been falsely accused of being gang members. In their lawsuit they say once President Trump invokes the act, he could declare anyone a member of the gang and deport them.