U.S. District Judge James Boasberg is intensifying his contempt inquiry into whether senior Trump officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, knowingly defied an emergency court order to block the deportation of over 200 Venezuelan migrants using the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act. The Department of Justice confirmed that Noem permitted the administration’s decision to proceed with deporting the migrants to El Salvador despite the court’s March 15 order, deepening the political and legal tension surrounding the case.
Boasberg has instructed parties to submit proposed witness lists and deadlines for the contempt proceedings, emphasizing the need to move swiftly. The judge has indicated his willingness to include testimony from former Justice Department officials like Emil Bove and Drew Ensign, who are central to the case. The Trump administration, however, has vowed to resist efforts to compel testimony, asserting that the matter does not meet the criteria for criminal contempt.
Legal analysts suggest that the new filings could complicate the case, as both sides prepare for potential live witness testimony in December. The situation is expected to provoke strong reactions from congressional Republicans and former President Trump, who have already criticized Boasberg for his role in the case and his handling of subpoena requests from Special Counsel Jack Smith. The legal battle continues as Boasberg insists on uncovering the full account of the migrants’ relocation to El Salvador.
President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly labeled Boasberg an