Judge Boasberg finds probable cause to hold Trump in contempt for refusing to stop deportation flights

A federal judge says there is probable cause to hold President Donald Trump in contempt for refusing to end deportation flights from a previous ruling.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg had issued the emergency order on March 15 against the flights of illegal immigrants that were ordered by President Donald Trump. The president invoked the Alien Enemies Act from 1798, which critics say is being improperly applied to the immigration crisis.

'The president is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country.'

Boasberg, who has been criticized by many accusing him of political bias, said Wednesday that he found probable cause that Trump had showed a "willful disregard" for the order.

“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” he said Wednesday.

"The Court ultimately determines that the Government's actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt," he added.

The emergency order was meant to allow the court time to fully consider the merits of the case. Boasberg said all flights must be canceled and those on the way must return to the U.S., but that did not happen.

Boasberg called on the administration to make declarations by April 23 or face a referral for prosecution.

White House communications director Steven Cheung responded to the order in a brief statement on social media.

"We plan to seek immediate appellate relief," he said. "The president is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country."

Boasberg has lambasted Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign for failing to fulfill his requests for information about the flights.

"If you really believed everything you did that day was legal and would survive a court challenge, you would not have operated the way that you did," said the judge to Ensign.

The Trump administration had previously responded by saying the judge was mounting a "massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens."

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