Trump Faces Judge Boasberg Over Migrant Deportation Flights Defying Court Order

A federal judge is set to probe whether the Trump administration blatantly ignored court orders when it deported hundreds of migrants to El Salvador last month, despite an emergency block on such actions.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, whom Trump has publicly labeled an "activist" judge, issued an order temporarily halting deportations and demanded immediate returns for individuals removed under the historic Alien Enemies Act of 1798. However, flights carrying deported migrants still touched down in El Salvador that same evening. The country’s president, Nayib Bukele, cheekily tweeted "Oopsie...Too late." Talk about international subtweets!

Judge Boasberg isn’t letting this slide. He’s determined to figure out whether the administration knowingly violated his orders and who’s responsible. The stakes are high, as this legal skirmish highlights tensions between the judiciary and the executive branch.

The Alien Enemies Act, a relic from 1798, has been dusted off and used only three times in U.S. history—during the War of 1812 and the two World Wars. Its revival by the Trump administration has raised eyebrows, with critics calling its use during peacetime "unprecedented." Plaintiffs argue that the law only applies in cases of war or invasion, conditions far removed from the current scenario.

Meanwhile, administration officials defend their actions as a necessary response to expel dangerous individuals, including suspected members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. But Judge Boasberg isn’t buying vague details. He’s grilling government lawyers to disclose specifics, like the number of planes, passenger counts, and departure times. So far, the administration’s responses have been, in Boasberg’s words, "woefully insufficient." Ouch.

The case has already been appealed twice—first to the D.C. Circuit Court, which upheld Boasberg’s ruling, and then to the Supreme Court. Yet, the administration continues to fight tooth and nail, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt accusing judges of overstepping their bounds. Trump allies argue it’s all part of an activist judiciary trying to rein in the president’s authority.

Trump’s fiery demand for Boasberg’s impeachment even prompted Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a rare public statement, reminding everyone that impeachment isn’t the go-to response for disagreements with judicial decisions. Roberts might as well have added, "Let’s keep it classy, folks."

The fallout from this legal drama could redefine the balance of power between the courts and the presidency. As Judge Boasberg digs deeper, the tension between judicial oversight and executive authority continues to simmer. Stay tuned.