Politics

JUST IN: Judge Who Ordered Return Of Venezuelan Gang Now Facing Impeachment Threat

Published

1 month ago

March 17, 2025

A federal judge who blocked President Donald Trump’s order to deport suspected Venezuelan gang members is now facing impeachment threats from Congress.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) announced on Monday that he will file Articles of Impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, calling him an “activist judge” who has repeatedly overstepped his authority. The move comes after Boasberg issued an emergency ruling halting Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

“I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week,” Gill posted on X, alongside a screenshot of a New York Post report highlighting Boasberg’s decision to block deportation flights.

I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week. pic.twitter.com/kh4vfooS2A

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) March 16, 2025

The ruling set off a firestorm among Republicans, with lawmakers and conservative leaders accusing Boasberg of prioritizing foreign criminals over national security.

President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act on Saturday, marking the first time the 18th-century law had been used since World War II. The order was aimed at swiftly deporting non-citizen members of the Tren de Aragua, a violent transnational criminal organization accused of trafficking drugs, weapons, and people across the U.S.-Mexico border.

However, Boasberg, an Obama appointee, issued a temporary restraining order halting deportation flights and reportedly ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to turn around planes already in the air.

The ruling gave a 14-day window for legal challenges from a group of Venezuelan men who claimed they were wrongfully detained.

Chief Judge James E. Boasberg

Boasberg’s decision sparked backlash from key Republican figures, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who warned that “another judge is unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country.”

“If the Supreme Court or Congress doesn’t fix this, we’re headed towards a constitutional crisis,” Grassley posted.

Elon Musk also weighed in, stating that “the very worst judges—those who repeatedly flout the law—should at least be put to an impeachment vote, whether that vote succeeds or not.”

The very worst judges – those who repeatedly flout the law – should at least be put to an impeachment vote, whether that vote succeeds or not. https://t.co/xRj6vz3F26

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2025

Boasberg, who has served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 2011, has a history of rulings that have drawn Republican criticism. He played a key role in sentencing January 6 defendants to lengthy prison terms and was previously involved in cases defending FBI surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Critics say his latest ruling is another example of judicial overreach.

The Trump administration has vowed to move forward with deportations, despite Boasberg’s ruling. Over the weekend, the Department of Justice expedited its appeal, and sources inside the White House suggested that alternative legal pathways were being explored to bypass the ruling.

The impeachment push against Boasberg faces an uphill battle, as it would require a majority in the House and a two-thirds vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.