A federal judge is currently evaluating whether to hold officials from the Trump administration in contempt for allegedly defying his directive to cease the deportations of Venezuelan nationals thought to be part of criminal gangs. On Thursday, US District Judge James Boasberg conducted a hearing to question a Justice Department attorney about the compliance with his March 15 order. The directive demanded the return of planes carrying deported Venezuelans who are now detained in a notorious Salvadoran facility.
During the proceedings, Judge Boasberg expressed the possibility that several officials could be found in contempt for failing to adhere to the verbal order. “I will determine if I have found that probable cause exists to believe that contempt has occurred and if so, how we will proceed from there,” Boasberg stated.
This legal confrontation materializes as the most prominent of over 190 lawsuits that challenge the Trump administration’s policies. President Trump has escalated the issue to the Supreme Court, seeking authorization to resume deportations without hearings for alleged gang affiliates. Additionally, he has called for the impeachment of Judge Boasberg, sparking a response from Chief Justice John Roberts.
The March 15 order centers around Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a move to deport purported members of the Tren de Aragua gang. This law, which has not been employed extensively since the World Wars, was used to circumvent existing immigration laws under the claim that the gang represents an extension of the Venezuelan government’s invasive actions.
The case, J.G.G. v. Trump, docket number 25-cv-766, is currently under the jurisdiction of the US District Court in the District of Columbia. For further details on the ongoing case, Bloomberg Law offers continued coverage here.