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The families of two Trinidadian men have filed a federal lawsuit against the US government over allegations that their loved ones were unlawfully killed in US military boat strikes.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, the US has carried out at least 20 military strikes since early September targeting boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of at least 80 people. The US claims these vessels were operated by drug-trafficking groups, including the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which it has designated a terrorist organization. According to US officials, each strike is preceded by surveillance operations that confirm the presence of narcotics on board and verify the boat’s involvement in smuggling. The administration also defends these strikes, noting that they are similar to US operations targeting terrorist organizations like ISIS, arguing that these narco-trafficking groups are now designated terrorist organizations.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, the families of Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo have filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit against the US government, claiming their loved ones were unlawfully killed in an October 14 military strike while traveling by boat from Venezuela to Trinidad. Filed in federal court in Boston, the lawsuit argues that the strike was premeditated, lacked any legal justification, and violated both international human rights norms and federal maritime law. The families maintain that Joseph and Samaroo were civilians with no ties to drug cartels, and that their killing constitutes an extrajudicial execution carried out outside any formally recognized armed conflict.

The lawsuit is being brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights. Together, they argue that the Trump administration’s justification, that an armed conflict exists with drug cartels based solely on a presidential determination, is legally unsound. According to the complaint, Congress has not authorized military conflict against drug traffickers, and trafficking itself does not amount to the type of armed attack that would justify lethal force under international law. The suit further argues that even if such a conflict were recognized, Joseph and Samaroo were not enemy combatants, which would render the strike unlawful under the laws of war.

The families are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, though the exact amounts will be determined at trial. Attorneys involved in the case say they also hope the lawsuit leads to a broader judicial review of the legality of the US military’s boat strike campaign.

In a statement, Lenore Burnley, Chad’s mother, said he “was a loving and caring son who was always there for me, for his wife and children, and for our whole family. I miss him terribly. We all do. We hope that speaking out will help get us some truth and closure.”

As of now, neither the White House nor the Justice Department has issued any public comment on the pending litigation.