Obama-Appointed Judge Orders Planes Deporting Tren de Aragua Terrorists To Return To U.S.

 A U.S. District judge appointed by former President Barack Obama ordered on Saturday that President Donald Trump’s recent order — designating violent Venezuelan prison gang members as foreign terrorists — was illegal and all planes deporting them should be stopped or returned to the United States.

Judge James Boasberg ordered placed a temporary hold — for 14 days — on Trump’s use of 1798’s Alien Enemies Act, and applied it to active deportations already in progress: “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States however that is accomplished. Make sure it’s complied with immediately.”

“I do not believe I can wait any longer and am required to act,” Boasberg added, noting that because the gang members in question would remain in federal custody despite the hold on their deportation. “A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi responded quickly, issuing a statement regarding the judge’s ruling: “Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also issued a lengthy statement via X, defending Trump’s decision to use the Alien Enemies Act.

“President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation Invoking the Alien Enemies Act regarding the Invasion of the United States by the Foreign Terrorist Organization Tren De Aragua, using his core powers as President and Commander-in-Chief to defend the American People from an urgent threat,” she wrote.

“President Trump will always put the safety of the American People first — and he will never allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate on American soil and endanger our people. They will be found, restrained and removed — and their networks will be destroyed,” Leavitt concluded.

The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway also called out Boasberg’s ruling directly, saying, “Would not have predicted it was Judge James Boasberg who would be throwing the country into a crisis like this. We need Article III courts to retain their legitimacy and Boasberg’s reckless order threatens that. Wiser minds must take action, and quickly.”

“I’m sorry, but this absolutely lawless order to TURN AROUND PLANES OF TERRORISTS is so insane that I’m having trouble comprehending what Boasberg is possibly thinking. Trump can not possibly agree to this,” she added.