A federal appeals court has blocked a lower court's attempt to pursue criminal contempt charges against Trump administration officials in a contentious immigration case.
The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit overturned a ruling by Judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee, who had found "probable cause" to hold officials in contempt.
🚨 BREAKING: Federal court just REVERSED Judge James Boasberg's insane order of contempt against the Trump administration for deporting criminal illegal aliens under the Alien Enemies Act.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 8, 2025
Cosplaying President Boasberg lost. Article 2 wins.
It was 2 Trump judges vs 1 Obama… pic.twitter.com/1rAVyfY80D
Boasberg had accused officials of defying his March order halting deportations under the Alien Enemies Act targeting alleged Venezuelan gang members.
DOJ files misconduct complaint against Judge James Boasberg over ‘improper’ comments about Trump: ‘Undermined the integrity of the judiciary’ https://t.co/vqgY1jyLYg pic.twitter.com/6FQGrfLLGb
— New York Post (@nypost) July 29, 2025
The appellate court's majority, both Trump-appointed judges, sided with the Justice Department and prevented the contempt proceedings from advancing. The lone dissent came from the panel's Obama-appointed judge.
The decision marks a setback for Boasberg, who had sought to hold the officials accountable for allegedly violating his court orders. The ruling signals strong judicial backing for the Trump administration's position on immigration enforcement.
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TIPP Staff
