Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast · Alycia Asai

The Alien Enemies Act: When Fear Became Law—and Never Left

·16 min·1 clip

Historian David McCullough said 'the French, it seemed, were everywhere,' fueling fears of an internal enemy.

This episode explores the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law that allows the president to detain or deport nationals from a country the U.S. is at war with. Host Alicia traces its origins in the tensions with France under John Adams, examines its use in World Wars I and II, and discusses its controversial modern invocation against a Venezuelan gang, questioning its relevance today.

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