Judge Boasberg suggests potential contempt hearings with Trump admin

Federal Judge James Boasberg floated a question about potential contempt of court proceedings during a Thursday hearing with the Department of Justice.

Newsweek reached out to the DOJ via email on Thursday for comment.

Why It Matters

Since his January 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping change, mainly through executive orders, and has prioritized immigration as a key pillar.

Last month, Trump utilized the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime law that grants the commander-in-chief the authority to detain or deport non-citizens. The implementation was blocked in federal court and has sparked a contentious legal back and forth with Boasberg.

What To Know

In the hearing, Boasberg questioned the Trump administration about implementing the Alien Enemies Act and turning over records to him. Boasberg also asked the DOJ attorneys who in the administration green-lit the continuation of the deportation flights after he granted a temporary restraining order against them.

CBS News Justice Correspondent Scott MacFarlane wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that “** Judge Boasberg** says there are possible future contempt proceedings ….. he wants to get that information.”

In a follow-up post on X, MacFarlane said, “Judge to Justice Dept attorney: ‘If I don’t find your arguments convincing…. how should I determine who” to subject to further scrutiny?'”

MSNBC legal contributor Adam Klasfeld reported on X that Boasberg concluded the hearing without a ruling on contempt proceedings.

The hearing was also highlighted by Boasberg calling out the Trump administration’s decision-making amid the temporary restraining order, saying it was “pretty sketchy looking” that the DOJ didn’t want to share information with him under seal in a classified setting, Politico senior legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney wrote to X.