D.C. Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration Contempt Hearings

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granted an emergency motion to block contempt proceedings initiated by James Boasberg, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The inquiry sought to determine if the Trump administration willfully violated a March 15 order to stop the deportation of 137 Venezuelan migrants, who were instead sent to a high-security prison in El Salvador.

The administration, invoking the Alien Enemies Act to characterize the Tren de Aragua gang as a hybrid criminal state, argued that the hearings would be a circus and an unconstitutional campaign. The United States Department of Justice filed a mandamus petition to prevent the testimony of Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign and whistleblower Erez Reuveni, while also requesting Judge Boasberg's removal from the case due to alleged bias.

Judge Boasberg initially denied motions to pause the hearings, asserting that the deportation of 137 men despite his order meant the inquiry was not an academic exercise. However, a panel including Judges Neomi Rao and Justin Walker issued an administrative stay to halt the testimony scheduled for December 15 and 16. While the American Civil Liberties Union opposed the stay, citing long delays, Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the judge's actions as lawless judicial activism. Some critics have since called for the House of Representatives to impeach Judge Boasberg over a perceived pattern of partisan rulings.