Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem authorized the Trump administration’s deportation of over 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador despite an emergency court order, according to a Justice Department filing. This action has intensified the legal and political battle over whether senior Trump officials, including Noem, knowingly defied the court’s directive under the Alien Enemies Act, as the contempt inquiry moves forward with renewed urgency.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, overseeing a long-stalled contempt inquiry, revealed that Noem made the decision to transfer the migrants to El Salvador after being informed of the emergency court order and an oral directive to return flights to U.S. soil. The Justice Department argued the action was lawful and consistent with a reasonable interpretation of the court’s order, but plaintiffs are pushing for testimony from nine senior Trump officials, including former Justice Department attorneys.
Boasberg has ordered parties to submit witness lists and deadlines for testimony, expressing his intent to proceed as swiftly as possible, despite the Trump administration’s efforts to block further proceedings. The case has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and Trump himself, who have labeled Boasberg an ‘activist judge’ and criticized his role in the Alien Enemies Act case and subsequent legal battles.