On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg extended a temporary restraining order blocking deportation flights carried out by the Trump administration under the Alien Enemies Act. Boasberg has become a lightning rod for MAGA fury this month by presiding over the case involving the administration’s use of President Trump’s implementation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport migrants.
The act, a wartime statute that gives the commander-in-chief the authority to detain or deport non-citizens, was previously blocked in federal court—sparking a heated legal battle between the Trump administration and Boasberg. Boasberg issued a new order extending the temporary restraining order on the deportation flights until April 12, 2025, or until further order of the Court—pushing back the original expiration from March 29, 2025.
Earlier this week, after Boasberg requested additional information on the deportation flights, the Trump administration invoked the state secrets privilege and has since asked the Supreme Court to vacate his orders. Trump has consistently voiced his displeasure with Boasberg amid the judge’s rulings against the administration. This week, Boasberg was also assigned a case involving a lawsuit against administration officials related to messages sent in a Signal group chat that inadvertently included a journalist.
On Truth Social on Thursday, Trump called out Boasberg, saying, “How disgraceful is it that ‘Judge’ James Boasberg has just been given a fourth ‘Trump Case,’ something which is, statistically, IMPOSSIBLE. There is no way for a Republican, especially a TRUMP REPUBLICAN, to win before him.”
The president continued, “He is Highly Conflicted, not only in his hatred of me — Massive Trump Derangement Syndrome! — but also, because of disqualifying family conflicts. Boasberg, who is the Chief Judge of the D.C. District Court, seems to be grabbing the ‘Trump Cases’ all to himself, even though it is not supposed to happen that way.”
He ended: “Is there still such a thing as the ‘wheel,’ where the Judges are chosen fairly, and at random? The good news is that it probably doesn’t matter, because it is virtually impossible for me to get an Honest Ruling in D.C. Our Nation’s Courts are broken, with New York and D.C. being the most preeminent of all in their Corruption and Radicalism. There must be an immediate investigation of this Rigged System, before it is too late!”
