Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has heard enough of MAGA threats against a federal judge who ordered President Donald Trump's administration to halt deportations of Venezuelan nationals suspected of being gang members.
U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg has faced days of smears and calls for his impeachment after issuing a temporary restraining order demanding that the Trump administration halt all deportations being carried out under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Trump himself called for Boasberg's removal on Tuesday, prompting Roberts to issue a rare public statement.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” Roberts shared.
The statement came shortly after Trump called Boasberg a "radical left lunatic" who should be "impeached." Many early actions in Trump's second-term have been stymied by the judicial branch, who have served as a check on Trump's power as he has attempted to wrest control of a greater share of the federal government.
"I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!"
The Trump administration has openly mocked and seemingly ignored Boasberg's order. Attorneys for the Department of Justice argued that Boasberg's ruling from the bench was "not enforceable" in a filing on Monday. In spite of an order demanding that deportation flights return to the United States, Trump shared a video of deportees being escorted into a prison in El Salvador earlier this week.
