"The Alien Enemies Act allows US presidents to detain or deport noncitizens during wartime. In 1798, the US was preparing for what it believed was a war with France. The law was introduced to prevent immigrants from sympathising with the French."
If you click the link you can see that it is not limited to wartime:
"That whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States..." [emphasis added]
A declared war is not required, as it was not in 1798. We teetered on the edge of declared war with France during this period known as the Quasi-War.
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