Judge Boasberg demands an explanation as to why the DOJ ignored the court order to halt the deportation flights.

Currently, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is under intense judicial scrutiny after being accused of orchestrating fast-track deportations of Venezuelan migrants, allegedly in deliberate defiance of court orders meant to ensure due legal process.

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James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has increased pressure on the Department of Justice (DOJ) for explanations as to why his March 15 court order—which sought to halt ongoing deportation flights—was apparently disregarded, triggering an increasingly serious institutional conflict.

During a 40-minute hearing held on Thursday, Boasberg stated he had not received “satisfactory answers” from the DOJ. The controversy centers around the use of the 1798 “Alien Enemies Act” to expedite mass deportations without affording due legal process to Venezuelan migrants accused of belonging to the Aragua Train, a criminal group that Venezuelan authorities had dismantled long ago in their country.

“Did you understand my order? What did you interpret when I issued it?” Boasberg asked pointedly to DOJ attorney Drew Ensign during the hearing, according to journalist Scott MacFarlane’s report.

The judge emphatically clarified that he did not prohibit deportations through regular channels but demanded transparency in the process, adding: “Anyone who says otherwise is mistaken.”

“You maintain that the government fully complied with the court’s March 15 order, correct?” Boasberg asked Ensign directly. When the attorney answered affirmatively, the judge replied, “It seems to me the government acted in bad faith that day.”

The court is convinced that there was a deliberate strategy to evade judicial scrutiny by expediting deportations before they could be legally reviewed.

A Revealing Timeline

Journalist Scott MacFarlane detailed a chronological reconstruction of events presented during the hearing, which reveals a deliberate attempt by the administration to avoid judicial oversight:

– March 14: A deportation order is signed under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

– March 15, 1:12 a.m.: A lawsuit is filed on behalf of Venezuelan migrants.

– 7:00 a.m.: The judge is notified and schedules a hearing for 5:00 p.m.

– 3:53 p.m.: The deportation order under the 1798 law is officially published.

– By 4:00 p.m.: Deportations are accelerated due to the pending court hearing.

This sequence led Judge Boasberg to conclude that the Trump administration carried out a “premeditated maneuver” to circumvent the U.S. justice system by hastening the departure of two planes carrying 238 deported Venezuelans before the court could assess the legality of the procedure.

Journalist MacFarlane notably highlighted the case of Neri Alvarado, a 25-year-old deported during the operation. He bore a tattoo advocating autism awareness in honor of his younger brother but was included in the mass deportation despite having previously been cleared of any ties to criminal organizations.

This case appears to exemplify discrimination within the deportation process, where individuals with no criminal background were expelled alongside alleged gang members—suggesting the primary goal may have been to meet numerical quotas rather than ensure a fair process.

Bukele’s Response and Complicity

The controversy took another turn when Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele posted on social media platform X the message, “Oops, too late,” on March 15, shortly after the U.S. judge issued the order to stop the deportation flights. The message pointed to possible prior coordination between governments.

The deported Venezuelans are being held at the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) in El Salvador, a situation that further complicates the case, given that they are now outside U.S. jurisdiction but may have been deported in violation of a federal court order.

The expedited deportations of migrants, however, appear to be part of a broader, more aggressive strategy toward Venezuela, as revealed by recent statements from Mauricio Claver-Carone, Special Envoy of the State Department for Latin America. During a discussion on Venezuela and proposals by Maria Corina Machado held at Miami Dade College, Claver-Carone openly described the Trump administration’s approach.

“With Venezuela, we have to go all in,” he said categorically. When asked about lessons learned from the previous Trump administration, his response was revealing: “It’s very simple: either go big or don’t even try, because doing things halfway doesn’t work.”

Claver-Carone acknowledged that during the previous administration, “the policy should have been maximum pressure, but we never actually applied maximum pressure. We didn’t even reach 50% of that pressure. A lot was left undone.”

His statements point to an imminent escalation in the stance toward Venezuela: “We have to go all in. All or nothing. That was my biggest lesson.” He also emphasized that he now has “the most focused team on the Western Hemisphere” he’s ever seen, celebrating the absence of “disagreements within the State Department with our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.”

The case of the mass deportations of Venezuelans, combined with statements promoting a “maximum pressure” policy toward Venezuela, paints a troubling picture for human rights and hemispheric relations.

The “Go All In” strategy described by Claver-Carone appears to be materializing through concrete actions such as expedited deportations, where legal and humanitarian considerations are subordinated to political objectives.

Next week, Judge Boasberg may issue a new order and call for additional hearings to fully clarify the facts. Those involved in the deportation operation could face contempt sanctions if it is determined they deliberately acted to evade judicial oversight.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: JoshEakle – MacFarlaneNews – EFE

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