In a striking move, the Department of Justice (DOJ) refused on Tuesday to provide specific details requested by U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg regarding controversial deportation flights executed under President Donald Trump’s administration.
At Monday’s contentious court hearing, Judge Boasberg ordered DOJ attorneys to submit detailed written explanations concerning flights deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members, which utilized a rarely invoked 18th-century law. The judge demanded clarity on several issues: how many flights departed due to Trump’s executive order, the number of individuals aboard those flights, destinations, and precise timelines.
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However, instead of supplying direct answers, the DOJ’s Tuesday response, authored by Attorney General Pam Bondi, refused compliance with the judge’s instructions, explicitly challenging the court’s request. “The Government maintains that there is no justification to order the provision of additional information and that doing so would be inappropriate,” Bondi asserted in the filing.
“Even accepting Plaintiffs’ account of the facts, there was no violation of the Court’s written order (since the relevant flights left U.S. airspace, and so their occupants were ‘removed,’ before the order issued), and the Court’s earlier oral statements were not independently enforceable as injunctions.”
Bondi continued, reinforcing the DOJ’s stance on resisting the judicial demand: “The Government stands on those arguments.” Nevertheless, Bondi acknowledged that should the court persist in seeking this information, the DOJ requested that it be shared confidentially. “If, however, the Court nevertheless orders the Government to provide additional details, the Court should do so through an in-camera and ex parte declaration, in order to protect sensitive information bearing on foreign relations,” the filing stated.
This latest confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary and the executive branch under Trump’s administration, particularly regarding immigration enforcement actions that have drawn significant legal scrutiny and public debate.
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The refusal to fully comply with Judge Boasberg’s direct order has sparked concerns about transparency and accountability, intensifying criticism from immigration advocates and legal analysts who argue that withholding such crucial details undermines judicial oversight.
The DOJ’s actions signify a broader struggle over executive authority and judicial oversight, marking another chapter in contentious legal battles surrounding immigration policy and national security during Trump’s presidency.
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