Judge says Trump administration is likely in contempt of court
Washington DC - A federal judge said Wednesday he had found "probable cause" to hold President Donald Trump's administration in contempt in a deportation case, raising the stakes in the White House's confrontation with the US justice system.
The ruling refers to District Judge James Boasberg's temporary restraining order of March 15 to halt deportations carried out under an obscure wartime law, the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
That order was issued as the government was flying more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, where those expelled were incarcerated in a maximum security prison.
In a written opinion, District Judge Boasberg cited evidence that the government had engaged in "deliberate or reckless disregard" of his order.
"Defendants provide no convincing reason to avoid the conclusion that appears obvious... that they deliberately flouted this Court's written Order and, separately, its oral command that explicitly delineated what compliance entailed," he wrote.
The administration's actions were "sufficient for the court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the government in criminal contempt," Boasberg wrote.
The judge said the government would be offered a final chance to "purge such contempt" or face further court action.
Cover photo: WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP