Washington: A U.S. judge warns that if the court order is found to be ignored temporarily halted by deporting hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, while also giving officials more time to explain their actions, there could be consequences.

James Boasberg, a Washington-based U.S. District Court judge, said the government could choose to invoke state secret doctrine, which protects sensitive national security information to national security information and justifies its actions rather than provide detailed information about deportation flights.

Boasberg said he was skeptical that complying with the order would endanger national security and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a post on X detailing the flight.

The judge’s order marks a temporary probation that escalates controversy with the Donald Trump administration. Republican president called on Boasberg’s impeachment on Tuesday to get rare condemnation from Chief Justice John Roberts.

Boasberg, appointed as the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, is evaluating whether the administration has violated his weekend orders, preventing the expulsion of hundreds of so-called Venezuelan gang members under 18th-century law.

Three planes, carrying deported Venezuelans, landed in El Salvador, where migrants were detained.

Boasberg asked for a detailed description of when the first two aircraft would take off and land, noting that the information would not be disclosed. In response, the Trump administration accused him of going beyond his own power.

“The issues to be resolved are serious violations of the core aspects of the absolute and uncensorable executive authorities,” the government wrote in a court application on Wednesday.

Boasberg’s response was to extend the government’s deadline.

He clarified that he sought the information, rather than as part of what the Trump administration claims to be a “judicial fishing expedition”, but “determines whether the administration intentionally violated its orders… and if so, what should be the consequences.” The judge did not specify potential impact.

Trump tags “troublemaker”

Trump critics and some legal experts say that if his administration violates judicial rulings (such as the U.S. Constitution), the enforcement and judiciary are common branches of the government, it says it is concerned about the potentially imminent constitutional crisis.

Trump said in an interview with Fox News late Tuesday that his administration would not violate any court orders and said the Supreme Court has a favorable rule for the deported Venezuelans.

But Trump lashed out at Boasberg. In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump called on Bosberg to improvise during the congressional process, which, although unlikely to succeed, would lead to his removal, describing the judge as a “troublemaker and inciteer” on the left.

The bipartisan U.S. Senate confirmed Boasberg by a 96-0 vote in 2011.

Roberts, a member of the 6-3 conservative majority in the U.S. Supreme Court, rebuked Trump’s call for impeachment, asserting that appeals rather than impeachment are an appropriate course for disagreeing with judicial rulings.

Government defends deportation flights

During Saturday’s two-week deportation, Boasberg said the 1798 Alien Enemy Act did not prove Trump’s assertion that the Venezuelan gang Trend de Aragya’s presence in the United States was equivalent to the law of war.

While two planes carrying deported immigrants were in the air at Saturday’s court hearing, Boasberg directed the Justice Department attorneys that any aircraft containing the order covered by the deported fuel must return to the United States immediately. About 40 minutes after Boothberg, the written order was formally filed on ET (GMT 2325).

After the order was submitted, the two planes landed in Honduras and continued to El Salvador.

The third deportation departed from Texas airport after Boasberg’s order was made public.

Justice Department lawyers argued in court documents Tuesday that Boasberg’s spoken language in court was not feasible, and that the deportation of the third flight was not only deported under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

Neither justice nor the state department immediately responded to a request for comment.