President Trump’s battle with a liberal judge over deporting Venezuelan criminals has taken a dramatic turn as his administration invokes rare “state secrets” protections. The showdown pits national security against judicial overreach in what could be a landmark constitutional case. And Trump is in a good position to win.
At a glance:
• Trump administration invoked “state secrets privilege” to withhold information about deportation flights to El Salvador
• Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered halt to deportations without due process, which Trump officials defied
• Trump argues revealing flight details would compromise diplomatic relations and national security
• Trump used 18th-century Alien Enemies Act for first time since World War II to expel criminal noncitizens
• President Trump has called for Judge Boasberg’s impeachment for interfering in executive branch authority
Trump Defends National Security Against Judicial Overreach
The Trump administration has escalated its fight with Chief Judge James Boasberg by invoking the “state secrets privilege” to protect sensitive information about deportation flights carrying Venezuelan gang members. This powerful legal tool prevents courts from accessing classified information when disclosure would harm national security interests.
There’s no stopping him this time around!
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign defended the administration’s position in court filings, stating: “In this case, invocation of the ‘absolute’ state secrets privilege prevents the court from colliding with the Executive.” Top cabinet officials including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have all submitted declarations supporting the invocation.
The leftist judiciary has a strategy of tying up the executive in legal challenges. But Trump’s team is also using delay tactics. They have kept this judge fixated for a week on whether there are cabinet-level discussions on whether to invoke state secrets. Debates about debates. https://t.co/tNDEw7OEqo
— malmesburyman (@malmesburyman) March 21, 2025
Constitutional Showdown Over Executive Authority
The legal battle began when Judge Boasberg ordered the administration to halt deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members without providing them due process. Despite the order, the administration completed three flights to El Salvador carrying over 200 Venezuelan suspects, arguing that Boasberg’s verbal order did not legally bind them and that flights already in progress could not be recalled.
President Trump has publicly criticized Judge Boasberg’s actions as judicial overreach, calling for his impeachment and disbarment. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts responded to this controversy by stating that “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” defending the independence of the judiciary.
Trump’s team has formally requested an appeals court to remove Boasberg from the case entirely. The deportations were conducted under the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century wartime law that allows for expedited removal of noncitizens deemed security threats without the normal court proceedings.
Liberal Judges Push Back Against Border Security
Circuit Court Judge Patricia Millett, known for her liberal rulings and bias, sparked controversy during hearings by comparing the treatment of Venezuelan immigrants to Nazi detainees during World War II. She insisted that “The President has to comply with the Constitution and the laws like anyone else,” suggesting that even illegal immigrants with gang ties deserve full due process.
Judge Boasberg criticized the Justice Department’s arguments as “intemperate and disrespectful” and expressed frustration with what he called “woefully insufficient” information provided by the administration. Liberal activists like Gelernt complained that “This has all been done in secret,” though the administration maintains that operational details must remain classified for legitimate national security reasons.
How can a President be expected to just sit back while leftist, radical judges like this decide that they want to run the country instead?
