A federal judge has expressed frustration with the government’s lack of cooperation in providing information regarding the deportation of Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.
Trump Administration Criticized for Withholding Deportation Details, Judge Says
Trump Administration Criticized for Withholding Deportation Details, Judge Says
U.S. federal judge questions the Trump administration's transparency in the recent deportation of Venezuelans.
A U.S. federal judge has condemned the Trump administration for failing to meet prescribed obligations to disclose details related to the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members. Judge James Boasberg, presiding in Washington DC, has demanded answers from Department of Justice attorneys regarding the deportation flights expected to have transported Venezuelans to El Salvador over the recent weekend. The court was only provided with a brief declaration from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official, noting that Cabinet-level officials were pondering invoking the state secrets privilege, which allows the government to withhold sensitive national security information from legal proceedings.
This lack of detailed information has drawn ire from Judge Boasberg, who had previously ordered a halt to the deportations. Despite the ruling, the White House confirmed that the deportation flights had commenced. The ICE official’s declaration merely reiterated previously released data without offering any substantial updates. The government cited the need for additional time—over 24 hours—to consider whether to use the state secrets privilege as a reason for non-compliance with the judge’s request for information.
Judge Boasberg expressed his discontent with the defense offered by the government officials. He emphasized that a regional ICE representative is not qualified to speak on matters that involve discussions at the Cabinet level, highlighting the inadequacy of evidence presented. The Judge has now set a deadline for the Trump administration officials to produce an update from someone directly engaged in these high-level discussions.
The controversial actions taken by Trump, purportedly invoking the seldom-used Alien Enemies Act, led to the deportation of over 200 Venezuelans, most of whom were claimed to be affiliated with the gang Tren del Agua. Following the judge's order, flights were mandated to be re-routed back to the U.S., yet Judge Boasberg will also convene a hearing to explore the implications of the Alien Enemies Act further in the coming days.
