The Trump administration is reportedly looking into reviving a centuries-old legal tool known as prize law to handle the seizure of Iranian oil tankers during the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to reports, the top federal prosecutor in southern Texas, Aaron Reitz, confirmed that his office is involved in the effort to bring back prize law, a legal framework that has not been regularly used since the Spanish-American War in the late 19th century. The administration plans to use this legal mechanism to justify the seizure of Iranian-linked vessels and cargo captured at sea, arguing that these actions align with U.S. military and national security interests. Prize law dates back to the early 17th century and allows a country to seize enemy ships and cargo during times of war or conflict. Under this framework, the U.S. could bypass complex civil asset forfeiture procedures and instead use a more direct process to claim captured ships. A federal judge would need to determine that the U.S. met specific legal standards to claim the vessel as a "prize." If approved, the seized oil or cargo could be sold, with the proceeds likely going to the Treasury Department. To use prize law, the Justice Department and Pentagon would need to prove that the captured ships were involved in activities such as transporting contraband, enemy soldiers, or using false documents to evade blockades. This is not the first time the Trump administration has attempted to bring back outdated legal tools to advance its policy goals. In July, the Justice Department tried to use the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a largely unused legal mechanism, to expedite the removal of suspected "alien terrorists." Last year, the administration also invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan migrants linked to a gang known as Tren de Aragua. Experts warn that using prize law could create legal complications both domestically and internationally. Maritime law professor Michael Sturley noted that while U.S. courts have jurisdiction over prize law cases, the seized vessel would need to be physically brought to a U.S. port, likely Houston, for legal proceedings. Ian Ralby, a maritime law expert, acknowledged that while reviving prize law is not inherently problematic, the administration's approach may face significant legal challenges, particularly in regions like the Middle East and South America, where U.S. seizures of Iranian and Venezuelan-linked tankers have sparked controversy. Legal scholars also point out that using prize law could lead to retaliatory actions, with adversaries potentially targeting American-flagged ships in the future. Thomas Lee, an international law professor, emphasized that bringing a prize law case would require physically moving the seized vessel to a U.S. port, as the legal framework traditionally requires the actual presence of the ship and cargo in the jurisdiction of the court. However, since no U.S. court has handled a prize law case since the Spanish-American War, the process remains largely untested, and experts say the administration may be navigating uncharted legal territory.