(NewsNation) — White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told “Morning in America” on Tuesday that District Judge James E. Boasberg was too slow to prevent Trump’s deportation flights to El Salvador this past weekend.
“We played a little game of catch me if you can, and guess what? The judge wasn’t able to catch us on this one,” Fields said.
Boasberg — whose order was potentially violated when the Trump administration carried out deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act — is demanding the Justice Department hand over all information about the flights by noon on Tuesday.
The administration invoked the 18th-century wartime law to carry out deportations of more than 250 alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members last weekend, despite Boasberg’s temporary block on the removals.
In its Tuesday response, the DOJ maintained “there is no justification to order the provision of additional information” regarding the flights “and that doing so would be inappropriate” because it would reveal sensitive national security and foreign relations information.
Fields told NewsNation the order came after migrants “were over international waters,” meaning that the judge “lost.”
In a contentious court hearing Monday, Boasberg scolded the DOJ for not turning the planes carrying the alleged gang members around despite being ordered to do so during a virtual hearing Saturday.
“I’m just asking how you think my equitable powers do not attach to a plane that has departed the U.S., even if it’s in international airspace,” Boasberg said.
Trump calls for judge’s impeachment, rebuked by chief justice
President Donald Trump, along with Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, has called for Boasberg’s impeachment.
In a social media post Tuesday morning, Trump said he and other “crooked judges” should be impeached for blocking deportation attempts.
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare public statement Tuesday about Trump’s directive, NewsNation affiliate The Hill reported.
“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.
It would take a two-thirds vote from the Senate to remove a judge from the bench.
Only 15 federal judges have faced impeachment since 1803 — typically for bribery, corruption or perjury — and only eight were convicted, per the Federal Judicial Center.
“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’s post reads in part.
Notably, Boasberg was confirmed 96-0 in 2011.
What is next for Trump’s Alien Enemies Act deportees?
The Trump team has described the Tren de Aragua gang as an invading force conducting irregular warfare, but the American Civil Liberties Union — which filed a lawsuit Saturday — has raised concerns that some of those deported might not actually be gang members.
“At this point, it seems like the administration is simply walking into court and telling a federal court they can’t look at the evidence, they can’t stop what they’re doing,” said Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s immigrants’ rights project.
“We see constant public statements from administration officials criticizing federal judges, saying they don’t have authority,” Gelernt said. “I think we’re on dangerous ground here in the United States.”
According to a social media post from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, the country has agreed to hold 238 Venezuelans in its “terrorism confinement center.” They are scheduled to stay for at least one year under an agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador worth $6 million, according to The Associated Press.
The president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, has slammed Trump’s actions, saying the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador were denied due process and that the country will do everything it can to have them returned home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.