Judge James Boasberg is presiding over a long-stalled contempt inquiry centered on whether senior Trump officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, knowingly defied his court order. He recently revealed that Noem greenlit the Trump administration’s decision to proceed with deporting more than 200 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador despite an emergency court order issued March 15, according to the Justice Department. The disclosure comes amid a highly politicized immigration showdown, with the potential for further legal disputes and political tensions.
The disclosure marks the first time the government has publicly detailed Noem’s involvement in the Alien Enemies Act removals. The Justice Department’s recently filed declaration provides new insights into the administration’s actions nearly nine months ago, including Noem’s involvement, and several other officials named in the document. The information could be used by plaintiffs seeking to compel witness testimony from senior Trump officials, though the administration is likely to resist such efforts.
Senior Justice Department officials, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, provided DHS with legal advice regarding the deportation flights that had already left the U.S. when Boasberg issued his emergency order. They relayed the judge’s oral order that all flights be