A federal judge in the US warned Wednesday that he could pursue prosecution of officials who ignored the order last month for failing to return deportation flights headed to El Salvador prisons, and announced that the Trump administration could be held under court cont.
The ruling issued by US District Judge James E. Boasberg, who former President Donald Trump said should be making a bounce each, highlights important clashes between the presidential authorities and the judiciary and administrative departments over immigration enforcement.
Judge Boasberg accused administrative officials of rushing to deport individuals under alien enemies before they had the opportunity to challenge the removal in court. He further stated that the government intentionally ignored his order to spin the planes that had already left.
Boasberg said that if the administration fails to address the violation, it could hold a hearing and introduce a prosecution case. If the Justice Department refuses to act, the judge said he would appoint an independent counsel to pursue the case.
“The Constitution does not tolerate intentional disobedience of judicial orders – particularly by officials in the coordinate branch who have made an oath to support it,” wrote Boasberg, the Supreme Court justice of the Federal Court in Washington.
The Trump administration said it appeals to the ruling.
“The president is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and illegal criminal immigrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country,” wrote Stephen Chen, White House communications director, in a post in X.
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador on Wednesday, where he met with the country’s vice president and defended the release of Kilmer Abrego Garcia.
At a press conference held in San Salvador following the meeting, Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Van Hollen said Vice President Felix Ullore had told him that the Salvadra government would not bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
The Trump administration and President Salvador Naive Buquere said this week there is no legal basis for the deportation of Abrego Garcia, despite the US Supreme Court’s efforts to revive him.
Trump officials claim Salvadoran national Abrego Garcia, who lived in Maryland, is connected to the MS-13 gang. However, his lawyers argue that no evidence has been presented to support these claims that Abrego Garcia has consistently denied.
Garcia has not been charged with crimes related to gang activities.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt criticized Van Hollen’s decision to visit El Salvador to advocate Garcia’s return.
“It is both appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and Democrats are celebrating their trip to El Salvador today.
