A judge on Wednesday found probable cause to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt, saying they violated his verbal order last month by not returning planes of Venezuelan migrants whom the administration rushed to deport on March 15.
“The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory,” U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote in an order.
SUPREME COURT LIFTS ORDER AGAINST TRUMP USING WARTIME LAW FOR DEPORTATIONS
Boasberg said the Department of Justice could attempt to “purge,” or take corrective action to erase, the contempt finding by April 23. Otherwise, the judge would need the names of the specific people in the administration who made the decision to violate his order.
This story is developing.