US Fed Judge calls Trump's response on deportation flights ‘insufficient’; Prez hits back, ‘rulings are so ridiculous’

US news: A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, instructed the Donald Trump administration to explain why its failure to turn around flights carrying deportees to El Salvador did not violate his court order.

It is to be further noted that this comes amid an escalating legal battle between the judicial and executive branches.

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The flights in question carried Venezuelan immigrants, whom the Trump administration had alleged to be gang members, and landed in El Salvador despite a temporary court order halting deportations under an 18th-century wartime law, as reported by the Associated Press.

AP noted that Judge Boasberg had previously issued an order for the administration to recall planes that were already en route when the halt was imposed. The incident has raised concerns over compliance with judicial directives and the broader implications for executive authority.

Here's what Fed judge ordered

Boasberg had given the administration until noon Thursday to either provide more details about the flights or make a claim that it must be withheld because it would harm “state secrets.” The administration resisted the judge’s request, calling it an “unnecessary judicial fishing” expedition.

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In a written order, Boasberg called Trump officials' latest response “woefully insufficient.” The judge said the administration “again evaded its obligations” by merely repeating "the same general information about the flights.” And he ordered the administration to “show cause,” as to why it didn't violate his court order to turn around the planes, increasing the prospect that he may consider holding administration officials in contempt of court.

Also Read: Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador and Honduras before court ruling could stop them

The Justice Department has said the judge's verbal directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed and that it couldn’t apply to flights that had already left the U.S. A Justice Department spokesperson said Thursday that it “continues to believe that the court’s superfluous questioning of sensitive national security information is inappropriate judicial overreach.”

Donald Trump hits back

The growing conflict between the judicial and executive branches has seen Trump and many of his allies call for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama. The calls come after Boasberg's court order halting deportations was not followed by the Trump administration.

Also Read: ‘Radical Left lunatic, should be impeached’ – Donald Trump slams Judge for blocking Venezuelan deportations

In response, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement, rejecting the impeachment calls, stating that “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said, “Judge James Boasberg is doing everything in his power to usurp the Power of the Presidency. He is a local, unknown Judge, a Grandstander, looking for publicity, and it cannot be for any other reason, because his “Rulings” are so ridiculous, and inept. SAVE AMERICA!”

Boasberg ordered Trump officials by Friday to submit a sworn declaration by a person “with direct involvement in the Cabinet-level discussions" about the state secrets privilege and to tell the court by next Tuesday whether the administration will invoke it, AP reported.

(With inputs from Associated Press)