News

Judge Gives Trump Admin Deadline To Provide Sworn Declaration On Gang Member Deportations

The Trump admin deported around 250 illegal immigrants over the weekend associated with violent gangs.

   DailyWire.com
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR - MARCH 16: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - 'EL SALVADOR PRESIDENCY / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) More than 250 suspected gang members arrive in El Salvador by plane, including 238 members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang and 23 members of the MS-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador by the US in San Salvador, El Salvador on March 16, 2025. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele confirmed they will be sent to the country's infamous mega-prison at CECOP facility prison. San Salvador forces took heavy security measures.
Credit: Photo by El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images.

A federal judge attempting to block the Trump administration’s deportation efforts under the Alien Enemies Act ordered the Justice Department on Monday to give him more detailed information on the deportation flights of suspected gang members to El Salvador over the weekend. 

United States District Judge James Boasberg ordered the DOJ to provide a sworn declaration by noon ET on Tuesday.

The move comes after the Trump administration did not turn around flights carrying around 250 illegal immigrants believed to be associated with violent gangs like Tren de Aragua after a Saturday order from Boasberg. 

After the DOJ said it could not answer several of Boasberg’s demands because of national security concerns, the liberal judge gave the Trump administration the deadline to file additional justifications. 

“If the government takes the position that it will not provide that information to the Court under any circumstances, it must support such position, including with classified authorities if necessary,” the judge said. 

That directive came after a lawyer for the DOJ said that the judge was asking about “operational issues” that the defense was not authorized to provide further information on.

During the hearing, Boasberg and the DOJ clashed over the Trump administration’s decision to finish the deportation flights to El Salvador despite his order. 

“You’re saying that you felt that you could disregard it because it wasn’t a written order,” Boasberg said. 

The Trump administration has argued that the order didn’t apply because the flights were already over international waters and that the judge had no authority to intervene because of national security concerns. 

“It wasn’t until this flight was already in international waters heading down to El Salvador that the judge made some comment about returning the flights,” border czar Tom Homan said on Monday. “We’re already in international waters. We’re outside the borders of the United States.”

On Monday, the DOJ asked a federal appeals court to intervene and take Boasberg off the case, saying he was undermining national security. 

“The Government cannot—and will not—be forced to answer sensitive questions of national security and foreign relations in a rushed posture without orderly briefing and a showing that these questions are somehow material to a live issue. Answering them, especially on the proposed timetable, is flagrantly improper and presents grave risks to the conduct of the Government in areas wholly unsuited to micromanagement supervision by a district court judge,” the DOJ said.

Create a free account to join the conversation!

Already have an account?

Log in

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
Download Daily Wire Plus

Don't miss anything

Download our App

Stay up-to-date on the latest
news, podcasts, and more.

Download on the app storeGet it on Google Play
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Judge Gives Trump Admin Deadline To Provide Sworn Declaration On Gang Member Deportations