“Court order defied. First of many as I’ve been warning and start of true constitutional crisis. Ultimately will lead to Trump #impeachment proceedings.”
So ranted anti-Trump critic Mark S. Zaid in a recent tweet, making it rather obvious that he sides with virulent gang members from Venezuela over the Trump administration instead.
Frankly, anti-Trump critics would side with illegal migrants – even criminal illegal migrants – over President Donald Trump.
And one of the most openly critical of all was none other than D.C District Chief Judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee who ordered Trump to turn a plane filled with violent gang members around … and head straight back for the United States.
As the judge reportedly issued his order well after the planes had left, and presumably over international waters, the Trump administration ignored him, especially as the judge issued his order verbally, rather than in writing.
When the Trump administration pointed out the absence of a written order to turn the planes around, the judge proceeded to fume, declaring the administration’s interpretation was “a heck of a stretch.”
That said, the “stretch” is different than outright illegal.
If anything, it would seem that the Obama-backed judge is the one who undertook “a heck of a stretch” by demanding for a plane filled with illegals to be sent back to the United States.
Which is precisely why White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt easily schooled Boasberg in a rather pointed tweet.
“The Administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory. The written order and the Administration’s actions do not conflict,” Leavitt asserted.
Precisely. The written order does not conflict, Judge Boasberg.
Leavitt’s response becomes even more pointed when she references past Supreme Court precedents, given Boasberg’s purported concern for maintaining checks and balances.
“Moreover, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear — federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the President’s conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from U.S. soil and repel a declared invasion,” Leavitt declared.
Excellent point. In that case, assuming the removal of the illegal migrants is legally justified per the Alien Enemies Act, it would appear that Boasberg was the one overstepping his bounds … not the Department of State.
And Leavitt made it abundantly clear that “a single judge” – never mind an Obama-backed judge – should not have the power to override the president in matters of national security.
“A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrying foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” Leavitt concluded pointedly.
Nice!
As reported by Axios, Leavitt was even more blunt in her interactions with reporters.
“If the Democrats want to argue in favor of turning a plane full of rapists, murderers, and gangsters back to the United States, that’s a fight we are more than happy to take,” Leavitt asserted.
Tellingly, no Democrat has been crazy enough to take that bait yet. Not even members of the so-called “Squad.”
Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli also reiterated Leavitt’s points, making it clear that the Trump administration operated within the bounds of the law.
“Once that they are in international waters, the president has authority outside of the Alien Enemies Act, which would not have been subject to either order,” Kambli declared.
In particular an order that the judge issued verbally, rather than in writing.
Though the Obama appointee does not seem terribly happy about that reality.
“I think my equitable powers are pretty clear that they do not lapse at the airspace’s edge. My equitable powers do not lapse at that point,” Boasberg raged.
Is that so? Pray tell, please explain how a single federal judge somehow has jurisdiction over international waters? Not to mention apparent authority over the president in national security matters? Is it any wonder this judge was an Obama appointee?
“The information that I am authorized to provide is that no plane took off from the United States after the written order came through,” Kambli replied smoothly, refusing to answer any of the judge’s other inquiries.
Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador, is set to receive increasing numbers of illegal gang members from the United States, and he was sure to needle the Obama-backed judge as well.
“Oopsie… Too late,” Bukele tweeted.
Indeed.
Talk about epically schooling the Obama-backed judge, who is apparently enraged that his oral words don’t carry “much weight” in international waters.
One thing is for certain: Most Americans are far more likely to agree with the sentiments of Representative Chuck Grassley.
“Another day, another judge unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country. This time to benefit foreign gang members … If the Supreme Court or Congress doesn’t fix, we’re headed towards a constitutional crisis. Senate Judiciary [Committee] taking action,” Grassley tweeted.
Amen!
Author: Ofelia Thornton
