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U.S. NEWS Thursday 17 april 2025
Judge finds cause to hold Trump administration in criminal

contempt for violating deportation order

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER the homeland.”
and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN The judge did not say which
Associated Press official or officials could be
WASHINGTON (AP) — A held in contempt. He is giv-
federal judge on Wednes- ing the government until
day said he has found April 23 to explain the steps
probable cause to hold it has taken to remedy the
the Trump administration in violation, or instead iden-
criminal contempt of court tify the individual or peo-
and warned he could ple who made the deci-
seek officials’ prosecu- sion not to turn the planes
tion for violating his orders around.
last month to turn around In a separate case, the
planes carrying deportees administration has ac-
to an El Salvador prison. knowledged mistakenly
The ruling from U.S District deporting Kilmar Abrego
Judge James E. Boasberg, Garcia to the El Salvador
whom President Donald prison, but does not intend
Trump has said should be to return him to the U.S.
impeached, marks a dra- despite a Supreme Court
matic battle between the ruling that the administra-
judicial and executive A mega-prison known as Detention Center Against Terrorism (CECOT) stands in Tecoluca, El tion must “facilitate” his
branches of government Salvador, March 5, 2023. release.q
over the president’s pow- Associated Press
ers to carry out key White
House priorities. The case has become one
Boasberg accused admin- of the most contentious
istration officials of rushing amid a slew of legal bat-
deportees out of the coun- tles being waged against
try under the Alien Enemies the Republican administra-
Act last month before they tion that has put the White
could challenge their re- House on a collision course
moval in court, and then with the federal courts.
willfully disregarding his or- Administration officials
der that planes already in have repeatedly criticized
the air should return to the judges for reigning in the
United States. president’s actions, accus-
The judge said he could ing the courts of improperly
hold hearings and poten- impinging on his executive
tially refer the matter for powers.
prosecution if the admin- Trump and his allies have
istration does not act to called for impeaching
remedy the violation. If Boasberg, prompting a
Trump’s Justice Depart- rare statement from Chief
ment leadership declines Justice John Roberts, who
to prosecute the matter, said “impeachment is not
Boasberg said he will ap- an appropriate response
point another attorney to to disagreement concern-
do so. ing a judicial decision.”
“The Constitution does not Boasberg said He wrote
tolerate willful disobedi- that the government’s
ence of judicial orders es- “conduct betrayed a de-
pecially by officials of a co- sire to outrun the equitable
ordinate branch who have reach of the Judiciary.”
sworn an oath to uphold Boasberg said the govern-
it,” wrote Boasberg, the ment could avoid con-
chief judge of Washing- tempt proceedings if it
ton’s federal court. takes custody of the de-
The administration said it portees, who were sent
would appeal. to the El Salvador prison
“The President is 100% com- in violation of his order, so
mitted to ensuring that ter- they have a chance to
rorists and criminal illegal challenge their removal.
migrants are no longer a It was not clear how that
threat to Americans and would work because the
their communities across judge said the govern-
the country,” White House ment “would not need to
communications director release any of those indi-
Steven Cheung wrote in a viduals, nor would it need
post on X. to transport them back to