Judge threatened with impeachment after blocking Trump deportation plan

• U.S. District Judge James Boasberg is facing threats of impeachment after placing a 14-day restraining order on a Trump administration bid to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan Tren de Aragua members. Supporters of President Donald Trump claim the judge is putting the public and authorities at risk.
• The Alien Enemies Act, a wartime authority passed in 1798, allows the president to detain or deport natives and citizens of an enemy nation. Trump wants to use the law to speed up deportations, labeling the gang a terrorist group in late February.
• Boasberg’s restraining order, granted after a lawsuit by two nonprofits, prevents the deportation of five Venezuelan nationals and extends to all non-citizens covered by Trump’s use of the act.

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A U.S. district judge is facing threats of impeachment after placing a 14-day restraining order on a Trump administration bid to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. Supporters of President Donald Trump claim the judge is putting the public and authorities at risk.

What is the Alien Enemies Act?

The Alien Enemies Act is a law passed in 1798. It’s a wartime authority that allows the president to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy nation.

The act has been used three times in the past, each time during a major conflict. The first time it was used was during the War of 1812, most recently it was used in World War II.

The law is best known for its role in Japanese internment camps during World War II.

Why does Trump want to enact the law?

The Trump administration said it wants to use the law to speed up the deportation of alleged Venezuelan Tren de Aragua members. President Trump said the gang is engaging in “mass illegal immigration” to further the gang’s efforts to hurt Americans.

Trump previously labeled the gang a terrorist group in late February.

Why did the judge block Trump’s proclamation?

Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C., granted a temporary restraining order on Saturday, March 15. He ordered the government to not deport five Venezuelan nationals. The ruling came after two nonprofits, including the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit.

During a hearing on Saturday night, the judge turned the lawsuit into a class action. He also extended the temporary restraining order to all non-citizens in the U.S. covered in Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.

Boasberg will have an additional hearing on the matter on Monday, March 17.

What have Trump’s allies said?

Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill said in a post on X, that he will be filing to impeach Boasberg. Elon Musk reposted the tweet and said that it was “necessary.”

I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week. pic.twitter.com/kh4vfooS2A

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) March 16, 2025

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Boasberg’s order disregards Trump’s authority as president and puts authorities and Americans at risk.

“This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk,” Bondi said.

However, Boasberg said his order doesn’t hurt the government. He said it’s only a slight delay to their plans.

“I do not believe I can wait any longer and am required to act … A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm,” Boasberg said.

What about the immigrants?

Despite the order, a plane carrying more than 250 continued to El Salvador. The flight included 238 members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, as well as 23 members of MS-13, El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, wrote on X Sunday morning.