Judge demands to know why Trump administration ignored order about redirecting deportation flights
SUMMARY
A federal judge came down hard on the Justice Department Monday, demanding to know why they didn’t turn around two deportation flights to El Salvador despite his Saturday order. D.C. Chief Judge James Boasberg, overseeing a lawsuit from five Venezuelan nationals in custody, gave the administration until noon Tuesday to spill details—flight times, passenger counts, and when Trump’s Alien Enemies Act order kicked in. That 1798 law lets the president fast-track deportations, and Trump’s using it to target alleged Tren de Aragua gang members. The DOJ argued Boasberg’s verbal command wasn’t binding without ink, and anyway, the planes were over international waters—out of his reach. Boasberg shot back: his order covered the planes, period. Things got testy when the DOJ dodged flight specifics, citing “operational issues,” leaving it murky if info was classified. Despite the ruling, 261 people, including 137 under the Act, landed in El Salvador Saturday.
