Judge James Boasberg took the next step toward ‘contempt prosecution’ after he revived his criminal contempt inquiry against President Trump over Alien Enemies Act deportations.
Last month the Justice Department disclosed that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem greenlit the deportation flights in March despite Boasberg’s emergency order.
Judge Boasberg gave the Trump Administration until December 5 to submit declarations from all “individuals involved in the decision not to halt the transfer of class members” out of US custody in March.
On Monday, Boasberg said it is “premature” to recommend criminal prosecution of Noem but he demanded the two top DOJ lawyers involved in the deportations to appear for testimony next week.
Politico reported:
James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, said Monday that it’s “premature” to recommend criminal prosecution of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who revealed last month that she gave the order to turn over the men to Salvadoran authorities on the advice of administration lawyers.
Boasberg is now demanding that two of the top Justice Department lawyers involved in the March deportation operation — including one who has since been fired for resisting some of the administration’s moves — appear for questioning next week.
A federal appeals court recently lifted the hold on Boasberg’s contempt inquiry so the judge is going full steam ahead and harassing Trump Administration officials.
In March Boasberg granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the Trump administration from deporting thousands of Venezuelan nationals believed to be members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang under the Alien Enemies Act.
In an unsigned order earlier in April, the US Supreme Court on Monday vacated Judge Boasberg’s orders barring the Trump Administration’s removals of Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.
The high court said Boasberg lacked jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court however, said the Administration must give reasonable notice for gang members to challenge their deportations in court.
Boasberg then threatened to hold Trump officials in contempt for not bringing some of the world’s most vicious killers, criminals, and rapists back to the United States.
Judge Boasberg said he found probable cause to hold the Trump Administration in criminal contempt of court for defying his order to turn around planes carrying dangerous Venezuelan gang members.
In a 46-page opinion, Judge Boasberg said the Trump Administration showed willful defiance that amounts to criminal contempt.
Boasberg also threatened to appoint a prosecutor if the Trump Administration won’t prosecute the criminal contempt.
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