United States District Court Judge James Boasberg says that there is “probable cause” to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court over its expedited removal of suspected criminal illegal alien gang members through the Alien Enemies Act.
The judge, who The Daily Wire found has a history of obstructing immigration enforcement operations, is giving the Justice Department time to respond before taking any additional steps.
The Trump administration has been locked in a legal battle with Boasberg over the expedited deportation flights of illegal aliens who it believes are gang members. The federal judge placed a 14-day restraining order on the flights, but the Trump administration already had flights in the air at the time of the ruling, allowing it to successfully deport illegal aliens to El Salvador’s megaprison.
“The Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt,” Boasberg wrote. “The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions,” he went on to say before adding, “none of their responses has been satisfactory.”
A Daily Wire investigation found that Boasberg’s wife is the founder of a DC-area abortion clinic and donated more than $11,000 to Democrats, including to Hillary Clinton as she faced off against Donald Trump in 2016. Boasberg spared an FBI agent who was tied to the Russiagate hoax from prison, instead sentencing him to probation and community service.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Boasberg in the wake of The Daily Wire’s investigation.
“Judge Boasberg is a Democrat activist. He was appointed by Barack Obama, his wife has donated more than $10,000 to Democrats, and he has consistently shown his disdain for the president and his policies and it is unacceptable,” Leavitt said.
“These partisan judges are undermining the judicial branch,” she added, calling Boasberg “an activist judge who is trying to usurp the president’s authority.”
The Trump administration previously stated that it expects the case over the Alien Enemies Act to go to the Supreme Court, where it believes it will win.
