Chief Justice John Roberts has publicly rebuked President Donald Trump’s recent call for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg. Judge Boasberg had issued a ruling blocking the administration’s deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an 18th-century law invoked by President Trump. In response, President Trump labeled Boasberg a “troublemaker and agitator” and demanded his impeachment.
In an extraordinary display, Chief Justice Roberts emphasized that impeachment is not an appropriate mechanism for addressing disagreements with judicial decisions. He underscored that such disputes should be resolved through the appellate process, maintaining the judiciary’s independence and adherence to the rule of law.
The Hill reports:
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” Roberts said.
The chief justice’s statement came hours after Trump called for impeaching U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an appointee of former President Obama who blocked the administration’s plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport Venezuelan migrants.
The plaintiffs have questioned whether Trump officials complied with the judge’s Saturday order to turn any planes around, sparking a remarkable battle between the administration and the judiciary.
“This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President – He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump went on to explicitly call for Boasberg’s impeachment.
Over the weekend, the administration confirmed that it proceeded with deporting roughly 250 illegal migrants and alleged gang members to an El Salvadorian mega-prison where visitation, recreation and education are forbidden, despite a court order from Boasberg, reportedly because the flights were already over international waters when the ruling was issued.
Boasberg had issued the emergency order to temporarily block the deportations, following a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of at-risk migrants. However, White House officials stated that the administration did not actively ignore the ruling, arguing that it was not applicable since the flights had already departed. They also suggested that the case will now likely head to the U.S. Supreme Court.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is said to have orchestrated the deportations before the judge could intervene, ensuring that the migrants were removed from U.S. soil before Saturday’s scheduled court hearing. The administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act to carry out the deportations, targeting individuals linked to Venezuelan and Salvadoran gangs, including Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the White House argued it complied with the court’s written ruling, while the judge had verbally instructed the planes to turn around.
Lawyers typically consider verbal orders from judges to have the same authority as formal written orders.
El Salvador‘s president, Nayib Bukele, confirmed the arrival of the deportees and expressed support for the cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador. The deportees were reportedly transferred to El Salvador’s high-security terrorism confinement center, built as part of a U.S.-funded agreement.
The Justice Department is now appealing Judge Boasberg’s ruling, and the case is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, setting the stage for a major legal battle over executive power and immigration enforcement.
The ongoing fracas over Boasberg’s verbal orders and calls for his impeachment by the president heightens tensions between the executive and judicial branches, with legal experts cautioning that targeting judges for their rulings threatens the foundational principle of judicial independence. Historically, judicial impeachments have been rare and reserved for cases of serious misconduct, not for decisions that displease the executive branch.
The current situation highlights the importance of checks and balances in the U.S. government and the symbiotic relationship between its three branches.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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Judge Boasberg needs to be arrested by JAG and taken to Gitmo. We HAVE to get rid of all these Deep State Judges, period!
OK, fine. So move the criminals to a detention center were they cannot harm anyone until their deportation is resolved through the appellate process, maintaining the judiciary’s independence and adherence to the rule of law.
Amazing how Justice Robert’s picks and chooses what he wants, and yet allowed Biden and Obama to have free reign.
I have a simple solution. If s federal judge places an order on the executive and is found to be in error or overruled the federal judiciary budget is reduced by the amount of money it cost the executive branch to comply with the original order to include attorney fees.
Sorry Chief Justice Roberts but I side with President Trump, because it seems you have been siding with the liberals quite a bit.
I am sick and tired of Judges who are supposed to be Constitutionalists, side with Marxist judges like this one. Chief Justice Roberts knows how hard President Trump is trying to PROTECT Americans from these TRADH illegals who are nothing but rapists, and killers. No, not all illegals are bad folks, but the men Trump sent back to their country, are. Justice Roberts doesn’t care about us as we are not important to him. He has the best security around him and his family, we DON’T. I implore Roberts (a judge I once admired) to allow President Trump to DO HIS JOB! These illegals are NOT CITIZENS and have NO rights that are afforded to us-AMERICAN CITIZENS. Real citizens are pushed to the back of the line and we are tired of it. Putting Americans FIRST was a major reason we elected Trump in 2024. I want ALL judges to STOP trying to nullify our wishes.
These people came into the USA without authority of law,
and not being Citizens there is no authority of law that can keep them here.
Judge Roberts not long ago was complaining about people ignoring the law,
While at the same time ignoring the Constitution’s prohibition against legislating changes to the Constitution,
the Second Amendment, each time a state line is cross the interpretation and Freedoms of the “Supreme Law of the land” changes.
That’s OK, “GOD” is about to put on his “ROBE OF JUDGEMENT”.
NO. If a judge deliberately ignores the law or tries to write laws from the bench, then they need to go. The appellate process is expensive for all involved and an excuse to keep lawyers employed.
I guess he forgot all the callls for impeachment of supreme court justices by the dems. when the courts disagreed with their rulings.
Chief Justice Roberts needs to open his eyes to the blatant partisan rulings and nationwide injunctions being issued by low level Federal Judges. These leftist plaintiffs judge shop for some partisan judge to issue these ruling which in most cases are overturned. But in the time it takes to fight the court the damage has been done and often exacerbated. In the past we saw this frequently in the Ninth Circuit Court in California issuing rulings that in most cases were overruled. There has to be a review of these lower level judges rulings and how many times, or in what % they are overruled by higher courts. And how is it that these lower courts, that are often in liberal areas, can create nationwide injunctions? Even Judge Alito is aghast at this activity, and I believe Justice Thomas has also indicated concern in the frequency. In other words Justice Roberts, judicial overreach needs to be curtailed. If it takes impeaching the worst offenders, then it should be done, pending censure or other methods from the higher courts to reign this problem in.
What a disappointment Roberts has been. He has done everything he can to suck up to the left including giving us Obamacare. Where was that wimp when they were impeaching Trump over loony B.S.? Why isn’t he embarrassed by judges who legislate from the bench. What a turncoat!
Roberts has failed to live up to his oath or his responsibility as an American citizen. He can howl all he wants at Trump but the USSC failing to reel in rogue judges has left no other recourse then impeachment or an uprising of the American people against the Judicial branch.
John Roberts is wrong. Donald Trump is the supreme magistrate of the U.S. and the leftist judge is not.
Another judicial traitor, Chief Justice Roberts.
The judiciary has become just a little too independent of the law.
Follow the required pathway for removing roge judicial officals and stop all the gamesmanship.