A federal judge is questioning whether the Trump administration openly defied his court order by continuing deportations to El Salvador, despite a verbal directive to halt them immediately.
A Legal Showdown Unfolds
On Monday, U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg expressed skepticism over the administration’s claim that his verbal instructions did not hold legal weight. The controversy stems from President Donald Trump’s invocation of the rarely used 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants he claims are associated with the Tren de Aragua gang.
Judge Boasberg had verbally ordered the administration to stop all deportations under the act, but two planes carrying migrants had already taken off from Texas by that time. Government lawyers argued that only Boasberg’s written order—issued 45 minutes later—was enforceable, and therefore, they had not acted unlawfully.
“That’s one heck of a stretch, I think,” Boasberg remarked, questioning why his equitable powers would not extend to flights already in the air.
White House Response and Defiance Claims
Despite claims from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt that the administration did not “refuse to comply” with the court order, a report from Axios quoted officials stating the government had indeed decided to defy the order. Adding fuel to the controversy, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele mockingly tweeted, “Oopsie…too late,” alongside an article about Boasberg’s ruling, confirming that over 200 deportees had already arrived in his country.
Meanwhile, Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, reposted Bukele’s comment with an admiring GIF.
Constitutional Crisis on the Horizon?
Lee Gelernt, the lead attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), warned that the country was approaching a constitutional crisis. He argued that the administration’s actions set a dangerous precedent for disregarding judicial authority.
The ACLU and Democracy Forward are now pushing for Boasberg to order the immediate return of those deported. The Justice Department, however, has requested that the judge be removed from the case, citing concerns over national security and foreign relations.
International Fallout and Human Rights Concerns
The deportations have sparked international outrage, with Venezuela’s government labeling them as “kidnappings” and threatening to challenge them as “crimes against humanity” before the United Nations.
Families of the deported individuals are desperately searching for answers. One Venezuelan detainee, Franco Caraballo, was reportedly handcuffed and placed on a flight without warning. His family has since lost contact with him, and he no longer appears in the federal detainee locator system.
As the legal battle intensifies, Judge Boasberg has scheduled another hearing for Friday to further scrutinize the administration’s compliance. With constitutional questions looming, this case could have lasting implications for executive power and judicial oversight in the United States.
Stay tuned to Pulse Glance for ongoing updates on this developing story.
