(The Center Square) – Despite pushback from the nation’s top Supreme Court justice, the White House continues to stand by President Donald Trump’s demand that federal judge James Boasberg, who attempted to block recent deportation flights, be impeached.
Boasberg drew Trump’s ire after ruling Saturday that the deportation flights carrying 261 foreign prison gang members in the U.S. illegally to an El Salvadoran prison must return to the U.S. But since the planes had already entered international air space before the written order was issued in the courtroom, the Trump administration did not comply with the order.
The president then took to social media, calling for the judge to be impeached, which earned him a rare rebuke from U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who said Trump’s reaction was “not an appropriate response” to disagreeing with a judicial ruling.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that while Trump maintains “great respect” for Roberts, the president has not backed down from his call for Boasberg’s impeachment.
Boasberg’s “egregious abuse of the bench,” and “ridiculous lawfare,” Leavitt added, should actually spur the Supreme Court to “rein in these judges who are acting as partisan activists – they are undermining the judicial branch, and it’s a dereliction of duty.”
Leavitt also accused the judges who have opposed Trump’s enforcement of immigration law so far, such as Boasberg, of trying to usurp the executive branch’s authority and “slow-roll the president’s agenda.”
Trump, who deported the migrant gang members Saturday under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act, claims he has complied with all lawful court orders and is willing to fight any challenges in the U.S. .Supreme Court if necessary.
In the meantime, he “absolutely” intends to continue mass deportations, Leavitt said.
The Trump administration says its aggressive enforcement of immigration law is necessary to stem the border crisis of the past four years. Last month saw illegal border crossings drop to the lowest levels in record U.S. history for the month of February, with border patrol encountering 28,654 migrants, a roughly 90% drop from 2024.
