Judges Appointed by Trump Halt Criminal Contempt Hearings Over Deportations: What You Need to Know
A panel of three judges, mostly appointed by Donald Trump, halted ongoing criminal contempt hearings overseen by U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg. The hearings were related to government attorneys violating an order to stop deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. Last year, Boasberg found the Trump administration in criminal contempt for defying his order by sending a Venezuelan man to a prison in El Salvador. The panel, consisting of Neomi Rao (Trump), Justin R. Walker (Trump), and J. Michelle Childs (Biden), ruled that the case could be reassigned to a new judge, and Boasberg's contempt hearing must be terminated.
The judges' order directed the district court to end the criminal contempt proceedings in the case. Additionally, the order dissolved an administrative stay that Boasberg had previously implemented.