A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court. The judge warned that officials could face prosecution for violating his orders last month regarding deportation flights to El Salvador.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who has been publicly criticized by President Donald Trump, represents a significant clash between the judicial and executive branches over the limits of presidential authority.
Boasberg accused the administration of removing deportees under the Alien Enemies Act before those individuals could legally challenge their deportation. He also said the administration willfully defied his directive to return planes that were already en route to El Salvador.
"The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it," wrote Boasberg, the chief judge of Washington's federal court.
The judge indicated that unless the administration acts to correct the violation, he could hold hearings and potentially refer the case for criminal prosecution. Should the Justice Department decline to act, Boasberg stated he would appoint an independent attorney to take over the prosecution.
In response, the administration announced plans to appeal the decision.
"The President is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country," wrote White House communications director Steven Cheung in a statement posted on X.
This case has become one of the most high-profile legal confrontations involving the Trump administration, which has frequently pushed the boundaries of executive authority and has often found itself at odds with the federal judiciary.
Critics within the administration have accused courts of overstepping their boundaries, and Trump and his allies have called for Judge Boasberg's impeachment — a call that prompted a rare public defense from Chief Justice John Roberts, who said, "impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision."
Boasberg further wrote that the administration's actions "betrayed a desire to outrun the equitable reach of the Judiciary."
To avoid contempt proceedings, the judge said the government could take custody of the deportees who were sent to an El Salvador prison, thereby giving them an opportunity to legally challenge their removal. However, he noted that this would not require the release or repatriation of those individuals.
Boasberg did not identify which official or officials could face contempt charges but gave the administration until April 23 to either explain the steps it has taken to correct the violation or name those responsible for the decision not to comply with the court's order.
Originally published on HNGN
