Court Overturns Trump Officials' Contempt Order

A federal appeals court overturned U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's contempt proceedings against Trump administration officials accused of defying a court order by deporting Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act. The 2-1 decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, with Trump appointees Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao in the majority and Obama appointee Cornelia Pillard dissenting, found Boasberg exceeded his authority and that his orders were ambiguous, especially after Supreme Court intervention. The court stressed the limits of judicial power over executive actions in foreign affairs and questioned the appropriateness of criminal contempt for potentially jurisdictionally flawed orders. The Supreme Court had previously lifted Boasberg’s restraining order, complicating the legal basis for contempt. The ruling is a significant legal victory for the Trump administration and underscores ongoing tensions between judicial and executive branches over immigration enforcement. The broader legal battle regarding the use of the Alien Enemies Act for such deportations remains unresolved.