Appeals court weighs fate of judge’s contempt probe over Trump administration deportation flights
Judges appeared open to letting James Boasberg continue probing whether officials defied his order in the transfer of 238 Venezuelan migrants.
- On Tuesday, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard arguments on whether District Judge James Boasberg can proceed with a criminal contempt inquiry into the Trump administration's 2025 deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador.
- The legal battle stems from March 2025, when the administration deported detainees to El Salvador's CECOT prison despite Boasberg's temporary restraining order, prompting his finding of probable cause for a potential criminal contempt violation.
- DOJ lawyer Brett Shumate argued the probe is "unlawful, unnecessary, and futile," while ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt countered that the government's conduct was "disrespectful to the judiciary" and caused "devastating consequences" for migrants.
- Federal appeals judges expressed concern about halting the investigation before identifying the responsible party, questioning whether former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was being made a "sacrificial lamb" for broader violations.
- Although the D.C. Circuit provided no timeline for a ruling, the court appears likely to allow the inquiry to proceed, potentially enabling criminal charges against senior officials if sufficient evidence supports the contempt allegations.
76 Articles
76 Articles
Newsweek: Judges Appear Open to Possible Kristi Noem Criminal Probe
Judges Appear Open to Possible Kristi Noem Criminal Probe This article features Government Accountability Project's whistleblower client Erez Reuveni, and was originally published here. Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Tuesday appeared receptive to allowing Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg
JUDICIAL OVERREACH ON TRIAL: DC Circuit Weighs Whether Judge Boasberg Can Keep Hunting Trump Officials
The full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard nearly three hours of arguments Tuesday over whether Judge James Boasberg can continue a criminal contempt inquiry into Trump administration officials, with Justice Department lawyers calling the probe 'unlawful, unnecessary, and futile.'
Santa Maria Times
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge must put an end to his “illegal, unnecessary and futile” investigation to determine whether U.S. President Donald Trump’s government ignored an order blocking the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El...
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