Overview

• Judge James Boasberg determined there is probable cause to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for defying his court order issued in mid-March 2025.
• The administration ignored a directive to return deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.
• The court order had halted deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked wartime law, citing concerns about due process and judicial oversight.
• Boasberg's ruling emphasized the administration's 'willful disregard' for the judicial mandate, forming the basis for the contempt finding.
• The case reflects broader tensions over executive power, judicial independence, and constitutional limits, with further legal proceedings anticipated.