U.S. District Judge James Boasberg announced he will promptly begin a criminal contempt investigation into the Trump administration’s handling of migrant flights to El Salvador earlier this year.
Boasberg set a December 1 start date for hearings and ordered the Department of Justice to submit witness lists and evidence plans within days. The probe follows his April finding of “probable cause” that officials deliberately ignored his order to halt the March 15 deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
The administration contends it followed legal authority and denies any violation. The case centers on whether federal officials acted with willful disregard for court-mandated protections.