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Trump administration filing on deportation flights 'woefully insufficient', says judge Trump accuses judge of trying to 'usurp' presidency in migrant deportations case
(about 2 hours later)
Video shows alleged gang members deported by US in El Salvador mega-jailVideo shows alleged gang members deported by US in El Salvador mega-jail
A US federal judge said the government "evaded its obligations" to answer his questions about last weekend's deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members. President Donald Trump has accused a federal judge of attempting to usurp White House authority after he dismissed a government court filing on migrant deportation flights as "woefully insufficient".
"This is woefully insufficient," wrote James Boasberg, the top federal judge in Washington DC, as he gave justice department lawyers a new deadline to submit information about the removal of Venezuelans to El Salvador. Judge James Boasberg, the top federal judge in Washington DC, said the government had "evaded its obligations" to answer his questions about how alleged Venezuelan gang members were flown to an El Salvador mega-prison last weekend.
Government attorneys provided a six-paragraph declaration from an immigration official, but they did not supply the flight information the judge requested. Trump earlier this week called for Judge Boasberg to be impeached, labelling him a "troublemaker and agitator", although he did not name him in that social media post.
Last Saturday, Judge Boasberg ordered the government to halt the deportation flights, but the White House said it was too late. Those remarks had led to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr issuing a rare rebuke, saying impeachment is "not an appropriate response to disagreement" with a judge.
US President Donald Trump accused the judge in a social media post of attempting to usurp White House authority. Judge Boasberg had asked the government last Saturday to halt the deportation flights, but the White House said it was too late.
"He is a local, unknown Judge, a Grandstander, looking for publicity, and it cannot be for any other reason, because his 'Rulings' are so ridiculous, and inept," he posted on Truth Social. On Thursday, government attorneys provided a six-paragraph declaration from an immigration official, but the judge said they did not supply the flight information he had requested.
In the government responses they said they needed more than 24 hours to carefully consider whether "to invoke the state secrets privilege", which allows federal authorities to withhold sensitive national security information in lawsuits. In response, Judge Boasberg gave justice department lawyers a new deadline to submit the requested information. He also accused the Trump administration of continuing to withhold information from the court.
But Judge Boasberg appeared frustrated by that defence. Mother spots son deported from US in mega-prison footage
He noted that the declaration from a regional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official in Thursday's court filing repeated previously shared information. What is Tren de Aragua?
"To begin, the Government cannot proffer a regional ICE official to attest to Cabinet-level discussions of the state-secrets privilege; indeed, his declaration on that point, not surprisingly, is based solely on his unsubstantiated 'understand[ing],'" he wrote. Trump hit back at the judge in a Truth Social post later on Thursday.
The judge initially gave a deadline of Wednesday, before extending it to Thursday. Now he has given the Trump administration until Friday morning to provide a sworn declaration from a cabinet-level official about invoking state-secrets privilege. "Judge James Boasberg is doing everything in his power to usurp the Power of the Presidency," he wrote.
Trump this weekend invoked the rarely used Alien Enemies Act and deported more than 200 Venezuelans, alleging almost all were members of the gang Tren de Aragua. "He is a local, unknown Judge, a Grandstander, looking for publicity, and it cannot be for any other reason, because his "Rulings" are so ridiculous, and inept. SAVE AMERICA!"
An immigration attorney working on behalf of one of the deported men told a court on Thursday that her client was a professional soccer player in Venezuela without a criminal record, CBS News, the BBC's US news partner, reported. In another Truth Social post, Trump called for a stop to "nationwide injunctions" against his administration's policies, calling such court rulings "unlawful".
He also said "our country is in very serious trouble", urging Chief Justice Roberts and others on the Supreme Court to "fix this toxic and unprecedented situation immediately".
In the Venezuelan migrants deportation case, government lawyers submitted a six-paragraph declaration from an immigration official.
They also told the court they needed another day to consider whether to invoke a state secrets clause that allows federal authorities to withhold sensitive national security information in lawsuits.
But Judge Boasberg was not satisfied.
"To begin, the Government cannot proffer a regional ICE official to attest to Cabinet-level discussions of the state-secrets privilege," he wrote.
The judge initially gave a deadline of Wednesday, before extending it to Thursday. Now he has given the Trump administration until Friday morning to provide a sworn declaration from a cabinet-level official.
Judge Boasberg will also hold a previously scheduled hearing on Friday about Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act.
The president last weekend cited the 18th Century measure to deport more than 200 Venezuelans, alleging almost all were members of the gang Tren de Aragua.
But an immigration attorney working on behalf of one of the deported men told a court on Thursday that her client was a professional soccer player in Venezuela without a criminal record, CBS News, the BBC's US news partner, reported.
The man, Jerce Reyes Barrios, had applied for asylum to escape political persecution, his attorney argued, saying that he was falsely accused of being connected to Tren de Aragua because of a tattoo on his arm.The man, Jerce Reyes Barrios, had applied for asylum to escape political persecution, his attorney argued, saying that he was falsely accused of being connected to Tren de Aragua because of a tattoo on his arm.
The attorney said the tattoo honoured the football team Real Madrid.The attorney said the tattoo honoured the football team Real Madrid.
The flights - which Mr Barrios and others were aboard - were halted by Judge Boasberg verbally over the weekend. Any flights currently in the air were to be turned back.The flights - which Mr Barrios and others were aboard - were halted by Judge Boasberg verbally over the weekend. Any flights currently in the air were to be turned back.
But the White House said the planes were already in international airspace, arguing that the judge's order was therefore invalid.But the White House said the planes were already in international airspace, arguing that the judge's order was therefore invalid.
On Monday, Judge Boasberg asked to hear from the Trump administration's lawyer about why the flights had not returned to the US.
He will also hold a previously scheduled hearing on the use of the Alien Enemies Act on Friday.