A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to explain the deportation of 261 Venezuelans, despite a court ruling blocking the flights. President Donald Trump claims the deported individuals were linked to Tren de Aragua, a violent prison gang he recently designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, Trump justified the deportations as a national security measure.
On Saturday, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency order halting the deportations, but flights continued, sending the individuals to El Salvador. During a Monday hearing, Boasberg pressed Justice Department attorney Abhishek Kambli for specifics on flight departures and arrivals. The administration argued that once planes left U.S. airspace, the ruling no longer applied. The judge questioned why the government did not seek an appeal before proceeding with the deportations.
A Reuters timeline indicates Boasberg’s oral ruling was issued at 6:45 p.m. ET, while two flights were already airborne. A third flight departed at 7:37 p.m., 12 minutes after a written order was filed. The Trump administration contends that the last flight carried individuals deported under standard immigration procedures, not the Alien Enemies Act, and was therefore not affected by the order.
The White House insists courts lack authority over Trump’s power to expel foreign enemies under the historic law. The ACLU, which filed the lawsuit, warned that ignoring the judge’s ruling could spark a constitutional crisis. Boasberg has set a Tuesday deadline for the administration to provide flight details, passenger lists, and its reasoning for withholding information. Legal experts argue the deportations defied a judicial order, intensifying the clash between executive power and the courts.