A federal appeals court delivered a major victory to President Trump’s administration, ordering a district judge to immediately halt criminal contempt proceedings related to March 2025 deportation flights to El Salvador.
Court Declares Judge Overstepped Authority
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Chief Judge James Boasberg abused his discretion by pursuing contempt charges against the Trump administration. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, writing for the majority, stated the administration has a clear and indisputable right to termination of the proceedings. The ruling found that Boasberg’s original order did not clearly and specifically prohibit transferring migrants into Salvadoran custody, making criminal contempt charges inappropriate.
The decision represents the latest development in a yearlong legal battle that became central to the president’s mass deportation campaign. Trump’s White House has consistently characterized Boasberg as a biased judge who exceeded his constitutional authority. The three-judge panel split along nomination lines, with Trump-appointed judges Rao and Justin Walker forming the majority against Biden-appointed Judge J. Michelle Childs, who wrote an 80-page dissent.
ACLU Vows to Continue Fight
Lee Gelernt, the American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing deported migrants, announced plans to request review by the full circuit court. Gelernt condemned the ruling as a blow to the rule of law, insisting that evidence shows the Trump administration willfully violated court orders. The ACLU maintains that presidential respect for judicial orders forms a cornerstone of American governance, regardless of political disagreements with those orders.
Implications for Executive Power
Judge Childs warned in her dissent that the majority opinion tramples on judicial authority in ways that will affect future proceedings against all litigants, not just this contempt case. She argued the decision allows any party to avoid contempt findings by offering their preferred interpretation of court orders. Boasberg was nominated by President Barack Obama, while Rao received her nomination from Trump, highlighting the political divisions surrounding immigration enforcement and judicial oversight of executive actions.