Anyone who didn’t realize how serious the Trump-haters are about weaponizing the courts against him surely have to be taking notice at this point.
Even after the Supreme Court ruled against the DC district court jurisdiction in the matter of deported El Salvadorian criminals, Judge Boasberg is STILL making threats!
Even more than that, Boasberg now claims that there is probable cause to hold the Trump Administration in CRIMINAL CONTEMPT and prosecute the officials responsible for ‘defying his order’.
In other words, he wants President Trump to take those MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang members out of the El Salvadorian prison, load them back on planes, and RETURN them to the United States — where they illegally resided before the Trump Administration rounded them up and sent them packing.
And once again, Judge Boasberg has set another deadline for the Trump Administration to comply with his order, or face criminal prosecution.
🚨 #BREAKING: Activist Judge Boasberg has “found cause” to hold Trump officials in CRIMINAL CONTEMPT for not “turning around the planes” carrying illegal deportees
He says they can clear the contempt by RETURNING illegal gang members to the United States
LMAO! NOT HAPPENING! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/fDUWVZR1ik
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 16, 2025
Boasberg is giving the Trump Administration until next Wednesday to respond to his questions or return the deportees to the United States.
After that, he’s prepared to appoint a prosecutor and move forward with his criminal contempt case, according to Fox News:
A federal judge said Wednesday that he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in contempt for failing to return two planes deporting migrants to El Salvador last month, a major update that comes as tensions between the Trump administration and the judiciary have reached a fever pitch.
In the 48-page opinion, Judge Boasberg said the court had ultimately determined that the Trump administration’s actions on the March 15 deportation flights, which took place after he issued a bench ruling ordering their immediate return to U.S. soil, demonstrate a “willful disregard” for the court that is sufficient for the government to be found in criminal contempt.”
Should they fail to answer his questions by April 23, he said, he will refer the matter for potential prosecution.
That would involve identifying the individuals responsible for what he described as “contumacious conduct,” and by “determining whose ‘specific act or omission’ caused the noncompliance,” Boasberg said.
“As this Opinion will detail, the Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt,” Boasberg said Wednesday.
Keep in mind, this is AFTER the Supreme Court ruled that Judge Boasberg didn’t even have jurisdictional authority in this matter!
As we reported last week, Judge Boasberg’s response to the SCOTUS ruling vacating his jurisdiction in this case was followed by a SUSPICIOUS follow-up move.
Judge Boasberg CANCELS HEARING After SCOTUS Vacates His Jurisdiction, But Makes Suspicious Next Move
Now, with Boasberg refusing to fully CLOSE the case against the Trump Administration after his jurisdiction was clearly restricted by the Supreme Court, the reason seems obvious.
Boasberg isn't finished attempting to use every possible legal weapon at his disposal to try and thwart President Trump's attempt at making good on his campaign promises.
The President promised to rid this nation of the illegal onslaught brought on by the Democrats during the Biden Administration -- and he is doing just that!
Here's a quick report from Fox News on this breaking turn of events:
One legal affairs reporter, Kyle Cheney, pointed out that Boasberg gave a way for Trump Officials to 'purge' their contempt status.
All they have to do is simply tell him definitively who was specifically responsible for refusing his order to turn those planes around (even though, as the Trump Administration has argued, there was no turn-around order involved!):
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg finds probable cause to hold administration in contempt of court for defying his order to turn around planes, demands new details in order for officials to “purge” their contempt. Details TK pic.twitter.com/V5RQ59ugJg
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 16, 2025
In essence, he is refusing to give up the jurisdictional authority the Supreme Court stripped from him.
And instead, he is threatening to litigate the matter in an attempt to prove that President Trump willfully disobeyed his order... unless those Trump Officials involved simply state that clearly -- for the record.
Boasberg is simply going through the motions, so to speak.
He has ALREADY decided that President Trump has sinned against him; now, he's simply using every lawfare weapon at his disposal to try and pin something on him.
The judge's own ruling plainly states he already decided the Trump Administration willfully disobeyed him:
BOASBERG said the evidence shows willful defiance by the Trump administration that amounts to criminal contempt. Full 46-page opinion: https://t.co/JEbMZ5HDOC pic.twitter.com/iY2GOEeiCJ
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 16, 2025
Amazingly, Judge Boasberg has completely ignored the SCOTUS ruling that denies his jurisdictional authority in the case.
He is arguing that legal precedent gives him the right to hold the Trump Administration in criminal contempt for disobeying his order even though the Supreme Court ruled he didn't have the authority to issue that order, according to a report by CNN:
“The Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt,” Boasberg wrote in a 46-page ruling detailing his decision.
“The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions,” he added. “None of their responses has been satisfactory.”
ADVERTISEMENTCNN legal analyst Steve Vladeck said these moves are rare.
“Holding federal executive branch officials in criminal contempt is just about unheard of, once in a blue moon,” said Vladeck, a professor at the University of Georgetown School of Law. “Part of why Chief Judge Boasberg is moving cautiously is because he’s trying to walk a tightrope, not letting the government off the hook for its misbehavior, but also not provoking pushback from either the DC Circuit or the Supreme Court.”
Skye Perryman, an attorney with Democracy Forward, which, along with the ACLU, brought the case before Boasberg, said Wednesday’s ruling “affirms what we have long known: the government’s conduct in this case is unlawful and a threat to people and our constitution.”
The administration has repeatedly said that federal trial-level courts, especially, lack the authority to issue orders that could encroach on the president’s immigration policy decisions.
“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders – especially by
officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” Boasberg, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote in his ruling.In the case at hand, the Supreme Court ultimately said earlier this month that the migrants who challenged Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to quickly carry out deportations of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang brought their case in the wrong court.
The court’s 5-4 ruling requires those wanting to bring such challenges to rely on a complicated and rarely successful legal process known as habeas corpus, and to potentially file those claims in some of the most conservative federal courts in the nation.
Despite the high court’s decision, Boasberg said in his ruling, it’s a longstanding concept in the justice system that a party that chooses to disobey a court order before it is wiped away by a subsequent court order can still be punished.
Boasberg is hung up on the fact that the Trump Administration didn't do what he wanted them to do -- even though:
- He didn't have the legal authority to order them around on that point.
- He didn't issue a 'return order' to begin with, and the planes were already in the air.
- The Trump Administration didn't even use the law he ruled they couldn't use to carry out the deportations!
Nevertheless, Judge Boasberg is trying to pretend he is on the legal 'high road', while the Trump Administration is simply making 'a solemn mockery' of the Constitution:
Judge Boasberg on why he's launching criminal contempt hearings against the Trump administration:
"The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders -- especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it... It would make 'a… pic.twitter.com/3ViPPlo3bj
— FactPost (@factpostnews) April 16, 2025
The obvious truth of Judge Boasberg's continual witch hunt against his longtime enemy should be crystal clear by now to anyone with eyes to see.
President Trump used his Title 8 authority to deport illegals with criminal records and previously issued deportation orders...
And yet Judge Boasberg is continuing to argue that President Trump didn't have the right to use the Alien Enemies Act to carry out those deportations.
Firstly, yes... he does!
But secondly, he didn't use that law -- so what is the issue?
The issue is that federal judges are used to getting their way, and have normalized lawfare against President Trump.
Fortunately, as we've already seen, every move that Judge Boasberg makes has been called on its illegality or otherwise successfully countered by the Trump Administration.
While this is a developing story, and it remains to be seen exactly how the Trump Administration will respond, there is little doubt that those deported 'ALIEN ENEMIES' will be staying deported in El Salvador.
President Trump has been vocal from the very beginning of this case, arguing Judge Boasberg should simply be impeached and removed from his judicial office for grievously overstepping his authority.
If he keeps this up, we may well see that end.
We'll bring you updates on this story as more information becomes available.



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