District Judge James Boasberg tried to stop the deportation of foreign terrorists last week. This disgrace to the bench issued his little judgment declaring that the Trump administration couldn't deport these scumbags under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, even going so far as to order flights that were wheels up to turn around. It’s hilarious that these little judges think they have this power; they’re not the executive, nor was this ruling based on law. It was a Washington Post editorial column. It should have been ignored, and it looks like Trump’s crew did just that—and for good reason (via Axios):
The Trump administration says it ignored a Saturday court order to turn around two planeloads of alleged Venezuelan gang members because the flights were over international waters and therefore the ruling didn't apply, two senior officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The administration's decision to defy a federal judge's order is exceedingly rare and highly controversial.
"Court order defied. First of many as I've been warning and start of true constitutional crisis," national security attorney Mark S. Zaid, a Trump critic, wrote on X, adding that Trump could ultimately get impeached.
The White House welcomes that fight. "This is headed to the Supreme Court. And we're going to win," a senior White House official told Axios.
A second administration official said Trump was not defying the judge whose ruling came too late for the planes to change course: "Very important that people understand we are not actively defying court orders."
State of play: Trump's advisers contend U.S. District Judge James Boasberg overstepped his authority by issuing an order that blocked the president from deporting about 250 alleged Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789.
The war-time law gives the executive extreme immense power to deport noncitizens without a judicial hearing. But it has been little-used, particularly in peacetime.
Nicely done, Trump team.
The president designated Tren de Aragua a terror group. There is no constitutional crisis; liberals don't know what that means.
Keep deporting these terrorists. Also, it’s not like this administration is unprepared for the legal rope a dope like the first presidency. Trump has assembled a crew of fighters and they’re willing to appeal and challenge everything and anything.
Attorney General Pam Bondi filed an emergency motion to block Boasberg's editorial this weekend. We're still going through the process here; Boasy lacks authority.
Watch the intense coordination, planning and security involved with this operation to transfer foreign terrorists from America to a highly secured prison in El Salvador.
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) March 16, 2025
And DC Obama Judge Jeb Boasberg thinks he has the power to turn around planes in mid-flight and sabotage this… https://t.co/qNeIu2b2RN pic.twitter.com/fZE5TBkArO
This is key -- to have followed Boasberg's crazy order would have risked putting American lives in danger. So reckless of Boasberg to have done this. https://t.co/NdERbM4H2q
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 16, 2025
UPDATE: It's okay to say you ignored this insanity, Trump WH.
The Administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory. The written order and the Administration’s actions do not conflict. Moreover, as the Supreme… https://t.co/DnjUsuWTLH
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 17, 2025
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