Judge Resumes Contempt Investigation in Trump Deportation Fight

Nov. 19, 2025, 8:50 PM UTC

A federal judge is pressing ahead with an inquiry into whether Trump administration officials willfully defied his orders in a high-profile immigration case.

An appeals court tossed out an earlier ruling finding “probable cause” that the government had been in contempt of court. During a hearing on Wednesday, US District Judge James Boasberg said that several appellate judges nevertheless made clear in a recent decision that he still had authority to investigate who was responsible for sending 137 Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador in March as he ordered the planes turned around.

“I certainly intend to find ...

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