Federal Appeals Court Pauses District Judges Order To Evaluate Motion
In a dramatic clash between two coequal branches of government, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has stepped in to halt a lower court's contempt proceedings against the Trump administration—at least for now. The decision places an administrative stay on a ruling by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who previously warned that the White House’s defiance of a deportation order could lead to prosecution.
The case centers around the Trump administration’s aggressive use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime statute revived to deport individuals allegedly associated with Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
Judge Boasberg, appointed under the Obama administration, ordered a halt to such deportations last month, citing constitutional concerns. But when the administration proceeded to deport detainees anyway—sending planes en route to El Salvador—Boasberg accused the executive branch of willful disobedience.
In sharp language, Boasberg stated:
"The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it."
His order included the possibility of contempt proceedings and even criminal referral if the administration failed to reverse course and “purge” its contempt by complying voluntarily. But the Trump administration quickly filed for an emergency stay with the appellate court, which granted a temporary pause while it considers the motion in full.
BREAKING: A federal appeals court has blocked activist Judge Boasberg’s attempt to hold Trump officials in criminal contempt. pic.twitter.com/No2cMhQAM3
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 19, 2025
Importantly, the appeals court emphasized that this is not a ruling on the merits. It merely suspends Boasberg’s actions to allow time for full legal review.
The Trump team argues it did not violate the law, claiming that the planes had already left the U.S. before the judge’s directive was issued. They further note that Boasberg’s written order allegedly lacked explicit instructions to turn back flights—though the judge made his position unmistakably clear in his subsequent statements from the bench.
Meanwhile, President Trump has escalated the matter into a political firestorm. He’s publicly called for Boasberg’s impeachment, while the Justice Department has accused the judge of judicial overreach. The administration continues to argue that national security and executive authority under the Alien Enemies Act give it broad latitude during periods of declared threat.