A federal judge barred the Trump administration Saturday from carrying out deportations under a sweeping 18th century law that the president invoked just hours earlier to speed removal of Venezuelan gang members from the United States.

A federal judge on Saturday barred the administration of President Donald Trump from deportations under an 18th century law that Trump invoked just hours earlier

James E. Boasberg, chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said he needed to issue his order immediately because the government was already flying migrants it claimed were newly deportable under Trump’s proclamation to El Salvador and Honduras to be incarcerated there

“I do not believe I can wait any longer and am required to act,” Boasberg said during a Saturday evening hearing in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU and Democracy Forward. “A brief delay in their removal does not cause the government any harm,” he added, noting they remain in government custody but ordering that any planes in the air be turned around

  • sp3ctr4lEnglish
    20·
    23 hours ago

    He did literally argue that documents are declassified if he thinks they are.

    • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      71·
      21 hours ago

      Things is… Documents are only classified due to a presidential order. He can (while president) declassify whatever he wants, whether it’s wise to or not. The issue was that he was no longer president and made no indication that those documents were declassified.

      • sp3ctr4lEnglish
        6·
        21 hours ago

        You’re correct, there is an actual procedure that you’re supposed to follow… but iirc, Trump actually stated that the documents just were declassified because he had that thought in his head, while still president, so therefore that counts and its all fine, he can keep them.