US Judge Cautions Trump Administration May Face Contempt Charges Over El Salvador Deportations | US News

A federal judge in the US has issued a warning that he may charge the Trump administration with contempt for failing to comply with his orders regarding the return of planes transporting deportees to El Salvador.

US District Judge James E. Boasberg stated that he has established “probable cause” to hold the administration in criminal contempt and cautioned that he could refer the case for prosecution if it does not “purge” its contempt.

He indicated that the administration could rectify the situation by bringing back those who were sent to prisons in El Salvador, in violation of his directive, to the United States.

Such action, he noted, would allow them to “exercise their right to contest their removability”.

“The Constitution does not permit willful disobedience of judicial orders – particularly by officials of a separate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” the judge asserted.

Should the Justice Department decline to act on this issue, Judge Boasberg mentioned he would appoint an alternate attorney to handle the contempt prosecution.

This represents a significant intensification of the ongoing friction between the judicial and executive branches of the US government during Donald Trump’s second term.

Various aspects of the US president’s legislative agenda have been halted by judges, as the administration pushes back against the legal limits imposed by the separation of powers.

Mr. Trump has previously called for the impeachment of Judge Boasberg, while the Justice Department contended that the judge exceeded his authority – both reflecting the administration’s efforts to navigate perceived barriers to its power.

The Trump administration has also claimed that it did not contravene any orders.

It asserted that the judge did not include a turnaround instruction in his official order and noted that the planes had already departed the US before the order was issued.

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