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US Judge Finds Probable Cause to Hold Trump Officials in Criminal Contempt Over Deportations

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A US federal judge has ruled that there is probable cause to hold senior Trump officials in criminal contempt for violating a court order related to the deportation of migrants. The judge, James Boasberg, cited evidence of a "deliberate or reckless disregard" by the government for the court's order. The administration had invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a 227-year-old law, to justify the deportations. However, the judge found that the administration's actions were not justified under the law and that they had rushed to deport the migrants.

    1. The Court is skeptical that such information rises to the level of a state secret. As noted, the Government has widely publicized details of the flights through social media and official announcements thereby revealing snippets of the information the Court seeks.
    1. Indeed, it has given defendants ample opportunity to explain their actions. None of their responses have been satisfactory.
    2. If Defendants believed – correctly or not – that the Order encroached upon the President's Article II powers, they had two options: they could seek judicial review of the injunction but not disobey it, or they could disobey it but forfeit any right to raise their legal argument as a defense.
    3. Defendants provided no convincing reason to avoid the conclusion which appears obvious, that they deliberately flouted this court's written order and, separately, its oral command which explicitly delineated what compliance entailed.
    4. 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.
    5. The administration's actions were sufficient to conclude that probable cause exists to find the government in criminal contempt.
US Judge Finds Probable Cause to Hold Trump Officials in Criminal Contempt Over Deportations