Judge warns of possible 'consequences' after DOJ push back on questions about deportation flights
Source: NBC News
March 19, 2025, 10:01 AM EDT / Updated March 19, 2025, 12:50 PM EDT
WASHINGTON — A federal judge Wednesday warned of the possibility of "consequences" after the Justice Department pushed back on his request for more information about the deportation flights that took off over the weekend after President Donald Trump invoked the rarely used Alien Enemies Act. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg had ordered the Trump administration to submit answers to his questions about the timing of the deportation flights and custody handover of deportees, giving the government until noon Wednesday to respond.
The government submitted a filing Wednesday morning asking for a pause of Boasberg's order to answer his questions, which it contended could expose negotiations with foreign countries "to serious risk of micromanaged and unnecessary judicial fishing expeditions and potential public disclosure."
"Continuing to beat a dead horse solely for the sake of prying from the Government legally immaterial facts and wholly within a sphere of core functions of the Executive Branch is both purposeless and frustrating to the consideration of the actual legal issues at stake in this case," the DOJ wrote in the filing. The lawyers also contended they would need more time to make their legal arguments.
Boasberg responded a short time later and gave the government an extra 24 hours to respond — but also expressed frustration. "To begin, the Court seeks this information, not as a 'micromanaged and unnecessary judicial fishing expedition,' but to determine if the Government deliberately flouted its Orders issued on March 15, 2025, and, if so, what the consequences should be," the judge wrote.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-administration-pushes-back-judges-request-answers-deporation-fli-rcna197050
*ducks from DU incoming*


ShepKat
(477 posts)consequences ??
Ooooo. I wonder if he'll wag his finger !
moniss
(7,434 posts)impose penalties immediately for violating court orders or stonewalling the court or other lawyers in the cases.
BumRushDaShow
(154,231 posts)It seems the Appellate courts have a louder voice and bigger hammer.
moniss
(7,434 posts)absolutely everything. The pattern really doesn't need to be proven or tolerated. If they tried to appeal on the basis of not being "warned" etc. the other side can simply lay out the known thousands of examples of not complying even after being "warned" or given extensions of deadlines. The appellate court would be ruling on the argument of whether the lower court judge acted "fairly". Given that extensions of deadlines, warnings from the bench etc. are discretionary and are not written into local rules etc. the appellate court would have a hard time justifying overturning an imposition of penalty given that the government could show nothing in return to the claims of pattern and practice.
That is all normal if we were in rational times but now anything goes and the delays in the New York cases prove that to a certainty. People keep wondering about the big judgements against Crumb the 1st and how all of that is going. With absolute certainty I can say that just like major corporations that stall off for years and years their having to pay on large judgements it will be done here also. The endless appeals and then delays, request for time, non-compliance, appeals over the non-compliance, failure to proceed as adjudged or agreed and then appeals over that and on and on. He is an old man who will likely be able to run out the clock while he is alive.
BumRushDaShow
(154,231 posts)This is why I have said that while people keep focusing on "Garland" the boogieman, they ignore the "gaming of the judiciary".
The absolute "best due process that money can buy" (and now 45 has the "deep pockets" of the federal treasury to finance the gaming).
republianmushroom
(20,175 posts)PSPS
(14,587 posts)cstanleytech
(27,665 posts)TomSlick
(12,460 posts)I'd order the DoJ attorneys to appear on a date certain to be asked the same questions. I'd advise them that if they did not intend to answer my questions, they should bring their toothbrush.
I'd then give the next DoJ attorney the same order and advice.
totodeinhere
(13,621 posts)The SCOTUS has pretty much already ruled that he is above the law. And if the judge poses consequences on other members of the administration Trump can just pardon them.
JoseBalow
(7,653 posts)
2naSalit
(96,976 posts)Those possible 'consequences'
Hotler
(13,189 posts)How about declaring them domestic enemies and order their arrest.