U.S. appeals court halts Judge Boasberg’s ‘improper investigation’ of Trump decision-making

by WorldTribune Staff, April 17, 2026 Non-AI Real World News

A federal appeals court rebuked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on April 14 and ordered him to halt his criminal contempt of court investigation against the Trump administration.

The case stems from President Trump’s effort last year to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang suspects. Among those headed to El Salvador on March 15, 2025 was Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Judge Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order and tried to recall the flights. He then wrote an order halting the deportation of anyone still in the U.S.

Humiliated: Judge James Boasberg

The Supreme Court eventually vacated Judge Boasberg’s initial ruling.

Judge Boasberg said that his order should have been followed at the time and initiated a criminal contempt of court investigation and demanded to know who made the decisions to continue the flights.

In a humiliating ruling, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said Boasberg was conducting an “improper investigation” that Judge Neomi Rao warned could become “an open-ended, freewheeling inquiry into executive branch decision-making on matters of national security” that could have broad ramifications for military and diplomatic initiatives.

“As these shifting and expanding proceedings demonstrate, the district court has assumed an improper jurisdiction antagonistic to the executive branch,” Judge Rao, a Trump appointee, wrote in the majority opinion for the appeals court.

Boasberg has been a consistent legal obstacle to the policies of the second Trump Administration.

Related: He’s back: Judge Boasberg rules for Fed’s Powell and against Trump, March 15, 2026

Related: ‘Oopsie:’ Planes carrying Venezuelan gang land in El Salvador despite activist judge’s order, March 16, 2025

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is calling on House Republicans to impeach Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Schmitt accused Boasberg of judicial “abuse.”

“The D.C. Circuit ruled Boasberg’s contempt crusade against Trump officials is an ‘improper investigation’ and ‘clear abuse of discretion.’ He tried to imprison Trump officials for deporting Venezuelan gang members. I’m calling on the House: Impeach Rogue Judge Boasberg,” Schmitt posted on X.

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