Overview
- On NBC’s Meet the Press, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she decides where and when deportation flights go and rejected that she disobeyed a court order.
- Last week’s Justice Department filing says Noem allowed Venezuelan detainees already en route to continue to El Salvador after Judge James Boasberg’s March orders were conveyed to her.
- Boasberg had ordered the return of specified men and a halt to removals of alleged Tren de Aragua members under the Alien Enemies Act.
- An appeals court recently cleared Boasberg to proceed with contempt-related fact-finding tied to the administration’s handling of those removals.
- The administration’s approach has drawn scrutiny in cases such as Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to an El Salvador prison and later returned to the U.S. as his lawyers dispute alleged gang ties.