A divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit has ruled 2-1 to block contempt proceedings against Trump
administration officials accused of defying a federal judge’s order in a
high-profile deportation case. The dispute centres on the administration’s use
of the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport hundreds of
Venezuelan migrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
The decision overturns U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s
finding of probable cause that senior officials could be held in criminal
contempt for allegedly ignoring his March 15, 2025, emergency order to halt the
deportations. That order came after plaintiffs argued the removals violated due
process rights.
Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao, both appointed by
former President Donald Trump, formed the majority, arguing that Boasberg
lacked authority after the Supreme Court vacated his original ruling. Katsas
noted ambiguities in Boasberg’s directives and warned that pursuing contempt
risked serious conflicts between the judiciary and the executive over foreign
policy powers. Rao called the contempt order “especially egregious,” citing its
intrusion into presidential authority.
In dissent, Judge Nina Pillard, an Obama appointee,
maintained that the officials appeared to have willfully disobeyed a lawful
court order. She warned that ignoring judicial rulings undermines the rule of
law, stating, “Our system of courts cannot long endure if disappointed
litigants defy court orders with impunity.”
The case arose when Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to
deport alleged gang members to El Salvador with minimal notice. Boasberg’s oral
order to stop the deportations was issued while some planes were already in the
air. Despite the order, the flights proceeded, prompting him to initiate
contempt proceedings in April.
Friday’s ruling, which can be appealed to the full D.C.
Circuit or the Supreme Court, sharply limits—though does not completely
eliminate—the chance of future contempt charges in this matter. Attorney
General Pamela Bondi celebrated the outcome as a “major victory” for Trump’s
agenda, while ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt expressed disappointment, signalling
possible further legal action.
The broader legal battle over the Alien Enemies Act and its
modern application remains unresolved, with critics warning that unchecked
executive power in immigration enforcement poses serious risks to
constitutional protections.
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