Immigration & Alien Enemies Act Deportations

The D.C. Circuit on April 2026 halted — and, according to subsequent filings, ended — Chief Judge James Boasberg's criminal-contempt inquiry into officials over March 2025 deportation flights that sent more than 130 Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act. A 2-1 panel, with Judges Neomi Rao and Justin Walker forming the majority and Judge J. Michelle Childs dissenting, concluded that Boasberg's March 15 temporary restraining order was not sufficiently clear and specific to support an intrusive criminal-contempt probe and that the planned fact-finding into "high-level Executive Branch deliberations" would improperly impair the executive branch. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the ruling, calling it an end to what he described as a "year-long campaign" against Justice Department lawyers, while Republican lawmakers renewed attacks on Boasberg; the Department of Justice had earlier filed a misconduct complaint against the judge and President Trump has publicly urged impeachment.