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Justice Department motion tells federal deportation judge to be ‘more respectful’

The Court’s actions ‘represent grave usurpations of the President’s power,’ lawyers say

Mary Papenfuss
in San Francisco
Thursday 20 March 2025 12:25 GMT
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Trump defends Venezuelan gang deportations

A startling line in a court filing Wednesday by Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Trump administration lawyers tells the federal judge who ordered a stop to the deportations of Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador to be more “respectful.”

It also flatly states that the court has no authority in the matter.

“The Court has no basis to intrude into the conduct of foreign affairs of the Government, and a more deliberative and respectful approach is warranted,” scolds the filing.

The Court’s actions “represent grave usurpations of the President’s power,” the document added.

The language was the latest assault by the Trump administration on the power of the courts, which some have called a constitutional crisis as President Donald Trump battles to secure more power in the executive branch.

Donald Trump led the high-profile figures speaking out against a judge who went against the administration’s deportation plans
Donald Trump led the high-profile figures speaking out against a judge who went against the administration’s deportation plans (PA Wire)

The insistence on respect and deference to Trump was included in a motion to stay federal U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s order to stop the deportations of Venezuelans.

The motion denigrated the court’s involvement in the issue as a “picayune dispute over the micromanagement of immaterial fact-finding.”

In response, Boasberg gave the administration 24 more hours to comply with his demand for information linked to federal officials’ apparent defiance of his previous order to halt the deportations.

Three planes carrying the Venezuelan migrants landed in El Salvador on Saturday night, hours after Boasberg had ordered the administration to immediately stop or turn the planes carrying them around.

Following the judicial confrontation both Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk then called for the “impeachment” of the judge.

In a rare rebuke, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts said calling for impeachment because of a disagreement about a ruling was inappropriate and flies in the face of more than two centuries of American history.

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