An Obama appointed judge granted a temporary restraining order to stop President Donald Trump's order to deport Venezuelans who are members of the brutal Tren de Aragua gang that has terrorized cities across the United States.
At a hearing on Saturday, Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered any plane or planes that may have been en route to deport the illegals to return to the U.S.
“Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States however that is accomplished,” Boasberg reportedly wrote. “Make sure it’s complied with immediately.”
How did that work out?
The Trump administration was deporting the gang members to El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele mocked Boasberg after two flights from the U.S. carrying between 250 and 300 Venezuelan and other gang members landed in El Salvador despite Boasberg’s emergency order.
Bukele posted on X: “Oopsie…Too late ” over a New York Post headline that reads, “Fed judge orders deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gangbangers to return to US after Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act”.
Bukele also posted video (see below) of the nighttime arrival of the deportees, showing the gang members being removed from the planes in shackles and then being taken to El Salvador’s supermax security prison, CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center.
The gang members, appearing to all be men, are later seen having their heads shaved by masked security personnel.
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a few MS-13 gang members and most wanted fugitives were among the over 250 Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang members deported after Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
Hours before the proclamation was signed by Trump, a lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Democracy Forward, and the ACLU of the District of Columbia, claiming it could be used to deport any Venezuelan in the country, regardless of whether they are a member of Tren de Aragua.
The Trump administration appealed the restraining order, alleging it is improper to delay a presidential act before it is announced, affiliate FOX 32 Chicago reported.
Boasberg's ruling put a 14-day restraining order on use of the wartime act, which the Trump Administration hopes to use to deport any migrant it identifies as a gang member without following normal criminal and immigration channels.
A new hearing has been scheduled for Friday as a pause will be put in place for those deported under the Alien Enemies Act.
“I do not believe I can wait any longer and am required to act,” Boasber said during a hearing Saturday night. “A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm.”
RedState's Bob Hoge noted: "If you’ve been feeling lately like activist judges have decided that they run the country—and not the president—you are not alone. Leftist jurists seem to be stepping in at every turn to thwart Donald Trump’s agenda and block his orders."
I'm sorry, but this absolutely lawless order to TURN AROUND PLANES OF TERRORISTS is so insane that I'm having trouble comprehending what Boasberg is possibly thinking. Trump can not possibly agree to this.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 16, 2025
Oopsie…
Too late 😂 pic.twitter.com/nDHL6deLJq — Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 16, 2025
Today, the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country. They were immediately transferred to CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center, for a period of one year (renewable).
The United States will pay a very low fee for them,… pic.twitter.com/tfsi8cgpD6 — Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 16, 2025
Timely: Defund Fake News
