Two Trump-appointed judges have stepped in to block a contempt case against Trump administration officials who defied a federal court’s order and went ahead with deportation flights to El Salvador.
The ruling came from a split panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, effectively freezing Judge James Boasberg’s efforts to punish the administration for what he called “a willful disregard” of a court order. Boasberg had found the government defied his ruling by going ahead with deportations on March 15.
The appeals court said its pause is only to give time to consider the government’s appeal and is not a final ruling. But it stops Boasberg in his tracks—for now.
Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao, both appointed by Donald Trump, voted to halt the contempt proceedings. Judge Cornelia Pillard, appointed by Barack Obama, dissented. She pushed back hard, writing: “In the absence of an appealable order or any clear and indisputable right to relief that would support mandamus, there is no ground for an administrative stay.”
Boasberg has been a target of Trump’s anger ever since he blocked the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to fast-track the deportation of Venezuelan migrants—labelled by the government as gang members—without court review. That order was later overturned by the Supreme Court, but not before the administration carried out deportation flights in defiance of Boasberg’s ruling.
Despite the Supreme Court lifting his order, Boasberg pressed forward with contempt proceedings, arguing the government knowingly violated his directive while it was still in effect.
Friday’s ruling came just moments after Boasberg wrapped an emergency hearing in a separate battle over new deportation flights. The ACLU had rushed to court, warning of another wave of flights to El Salvador.
During the hearing, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign admitted no flights were scheduled through Saturday, but added, “I have also been told to say that they reserve the right to remove people tomorrow.”
ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt fired back: “We feel stuck, and I don’t know that the government has provided a satisfactory answer to how we won’t be continuously stuck.”
But Boasberg said the Supreme Court’s recent decision tied his hands. “I’m sympathetic to your conundrum. I understand the concern. I think they’re all valid,” he told Gelernt. “But at this point, I just don’t think I have the power to do anything about it.”
The ACLU is still pushing for emergency intervention in other courts, including the 5th Circuit and the Supreme Court. But for now, Trump-appointed judges have shielded officials who defied a federal court order—and stopped Boasberg’s contempt case cold.
