(NewsNation) — The White House held a press briefing Monday where press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration’s decision to deport more than 200 people from the United States despite a federal judge’s court order.
On Saturday night, District Judge James E. Boasberg ordered the administration not to deport anyone in its custody over the Alien Enemies Act. President Donald Trump previously issued a proclamation that the 1798 law is in effect.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that 238 members of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua were deported under the act, as well as 23 members of MS-13.
Plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed to halt deportations asked Boasberg to force officials to explain whether they violated his court order. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon over the matter.
Asked by NewsNation what the administration says to Americans who are concerned due process is being violated, Leavitt said the president “is using every lever of his executive authority and his constitutional authority within the bounds of the immigration laws of our country to ensure that our streets are safer for law-abiding American citizens.”
Pressed about the court order, Leavitt maintained that the Trump administration “acted within the confines of the law, again, within the president’s constitutional authority and under the authority granted to him under the Alien Enemies Act.”
“We are quite confident in that, and we are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court,” Leavitt said.
All of the planes left U.S. territory before the judge’s order went into effect, Leavitt added.