On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of a federal judge who demanded an explanation from his administration regarding the deportation of planeloads of Venezuelans, despite a temporary ban on their removal.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled on Monday that Justice Department lawyers must clarify the timeline and legal basis for deportation flights to El Salvador. These removals were executed after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law historically used during wartime.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, Trump lashed out at Boasberg—an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama—labeling him a "far-left troublemaker and agitator." The president insisted he was simply carrying out the will of the voters, calling the judge part of a group of "crooked" judicial officials who, in his view, obstruct his policies.
"This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED," Trump wrote.
This is the first time in his second term that Trump has explicitly called for a judge’s removal. His demand aligns with a growing trend among Republican lawmakers, billionaire Elon Musk, and other Trump allies, who have attacked federal judges in response to rulings that hinder administration actions. These tensions have escalated as U.S. Marshals warn of increasing threats against federal judges.
Judge Boasberg's inquiry focuses on when Trump officially invoked the Alien Enemies Act to claim that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was engaging in irregular warfare against the United States—justifying their removal. He also seeks details on when deportation flights began.
The Trump administration contends that only gang members were deported and that the flights commenced before the judge's order to halt them. However, the administration’s legal team has questioned the court's authority over the matter, fueling concerns that Trump is testing the limits of executive power, potentially setting up a constitutional clash with the judiciary.
Tren de Aragua, a violent criminal organization known for human trafficking in South America, has been cited by Trump as a serious threat to the United States. However, documented evidence of a widespread presence within the U.S. remains scarce.
A Department of Homeland Security filing on Monday night revealed that many of the deported Venezuelans—whom the White House claims are gang members—had no criminal records in the U.S.
An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, whose request led Judge Boasberg to halt the deportations, cast doubt on Trump’s assertion that those removed were Tren de Aragua members.
"The Trump administration has a history of overstating the danger of the people they detain," he remarked.
As the dispute unfolds, the case underscores a broader power struggle between the executive branch and the judiciary, raising pressing questions about the limits of presidential authority and the role of the courts in immigration policy.