The White House is not planning more deportation flights for members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador at this time following a court order, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Wednesday press briefing.
“We don’t have any flights planned specifically, but we will continue with the mass deportations,” Leavitt told reporters of the White House’s efforts beyond the legal case in question. “And I would just like to point out that the judge in this case is essentially trying to say that the president doesn’t have the executive authority to deport foreign terrorists from our American soil. That is an egregious abuse of the bench.”
President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 over the weekend to order the immediate deportation of all Venezuelan illegal immigrants 14 and older who are members of Tren de Aragua.
But James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, ordered a two-week halt of the deportations on Saturday.
Trump administration officials claimed that because two flights were already in the air over international waters, Boasberg’s order was null.
However, administration officials have repeatedly said they would comply with federal orders as they continue to attack judges, including Boasberg, for allegedly overstepping their judicial powers.
“This judge cannot, does not have that authority,” Leavitt said. “It is the opinion of this White House and of this administration, and that’s why we’re fighting this in court.
“And it’s very, very clear that this is an activist judge who is trying to usurp the president’s authority,” Leavitt continued. “Under the Alien Enemies Act, the president has this power, and that’s why this deportation campaign has continued.”
Leavitt also branded Boasberg as a “Democrat activist” pointing to former President Barack Obama nominating him to the bench. A reporter in the briefing room noted that Boasberg was originally appointed by former President George W. Bush and then elevated by Obama.
Leavitt countered that “67% of all of the injunctions in this century have come against which president? Donald J. Trump,” adding that they are overwhelmingly the product of “Democrat-appointed judges.”
VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS NOT DEPORTED ‘SOLELY’ WITH ALIEN ENEMIES ACT, ICE OFFICIAL SAYS
“This is a clear-concerted effort by leftists who don’t like this president and are trying to impose or slow down his agenda,” Leavitt said.
Boasberg on Wednesday provided the Justice Department with a one-day extension to answer his questions regarding the deportation flights. Trump and his allies have since called for judicial House impeachment proceedings, with Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) filing articles of impeachment against Boasberg within hours of the president’s post.