Federal Officials Swear They Did Not Violate Judge’s Order on Deportation Flights

A federal judge ordered officials to provide more information about deportation flights carrying Venezuelans to El Salvador.

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, at the El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, on March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via Reuters

U.S. officials said in sworn statements on March 18 that they did not violate a federal judge’s order on deportation flights, in part because the flight that left after the order was released carried Venezuelans who were being deported for other reasons.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on March 15 ordered the Trump administration not to remove illegal immigrants and other noncitizens in U.S. custody who would be subject to President Donald Trump’s proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act.