WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday asked an appeals court to block a contempt investigation into the Trump administration for allegedly failing to halt the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March.
The department is also requesting the removal of Chief Judge James Boasberg from the case, as it has escalated tensions between the judiciary and the White House regarding the enforcement of court orders against parts of President Trump’s agenda.
They seek a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit before Monday, when Boasberg is set to hear testimony from a former government attorney who filed a whistleblower complaint.
Department officials argue that Boasberg’s actions are creating “a circus that threatens the separation of powers.” They further describe the upcoming hearing as an “endless fishing expedition” with no genuine effort to find relevant facts.
Judge Boasberg, appointed by President Barack Obama, has countered that a recent ruling from the appellate court permits him to proceed with the inquiry. He aims to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to refer the matter for prosecution.
Boasberg insinuated that the Trump administration may have acted in bad faith by hastily attempting to deport migrants, despite his order prohibiting such actions.
The Trump administration refutes any violations, claiming that instructions to return the planes were given verbally in court but were not recorded in a formal written order.
Further hearings are scheduled, including one on Tuesday for testimony by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign, who is expected to clarify the communication of Boasberg’s orders to the Department of Homeland Security.
Department officials expressed that this controversy should never have escalated to this point and caution against the potential fallout between branches of government.
