Justice Department Targets Judge Over Misconduct in High-Profile Deportation Case
Justice
DOJ Files Misconduct Complaint Against Judge in Major Trump Deportation Case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department has filed an official misconduct complaint against a top federal judge involved in several major Trump-era cases — including a key deportation ruling that halted flights to El Salvador earlier this year.
The complaint, filed Monday, accuses U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, the chief judge in Washington, D.C., of making improper political comments during a closed-door judicial conference in March. The allegations come from Chad Mizelle, chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is currently leading the DOJ under the Trump administration.
According to Mizelle, Judge Boasberg told a group of about two dozen federal judges — including Chief Justice John Roberts — that the Trump administration would likely “disregard rulings of federal courts” and potentially trigger “a constitutional crisis.”
“These comments crossed the line,” Mizelle said in a five-page letter addressed to Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. “Not only were they inappropriate, but Judge Boasberg had no evidence to back them up.”
The conference, held March 11, was private and not open to the public. NBC News has not independently verified the remarks.
High-Stakes Deportation Case at the Center
Boasberg has been overseeing multiple high-profile legal challenges against the Trump administration. Most notably, he is presiding over the controversial Alien Enemies Act case, which deals with a Trump executive order authorizing mass deportations.
In March, three U.S. deportation flights to El Salvador were abruptly grounded after Boasberg stepped in with an emergency ruling. At the time, he ordered any flights already in the air to turn around midair and return to the U.S., citing serious legal concerns over the new executive order.
Shortly afterward, Boasberg launched contempt proceedings to determine if the Trump administration had willfully violated court orders by initiating the deportations without judicial approval. That process has since been paused by an appeals court.
Trump DOJ Hits Back
The Justice Department says Boasberg’s actions and comments show clear bias and amount to judicial misconduct.
“Having assumed President Trump would defy court orders, Judge Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order and threatened sanctions — all based on a false premise,” the complaint states.
Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, also posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“Today at my direction, @TheJusticeDept filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg for making improper public comments about President Trump and his administration. These comments have undermined the integrity of the judiciary, and we will not stand for that.”
Mizelle has asked Chief Judge Srinivasan to refer the matter to a special investigative committee to determine whether Boasberg’s behavior constitutes “conduct prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts.”
He also requested that the Alien Enemies Act case be reassigned to a different judge while the investigation is ongoing, and called for disciplinary measures such as:
- A public reprimand
- Possible referral to the Judicial Conference for impeachment consideration if willful misconduct is found
No Comment from Judge Boasberg Yet
As of Monday night, Boasberg had not responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations.
Legal experts say this case could turn into a flashpoint over judicial independence, especially as election-season legal battles involving Trump continue to ramp up across the country.
Some court watchers argue that the timing of the complaint — so close to Judge Boasberg’s ruling in a politically charged case — may be an attempt to discredit or intimidate judges who rule against Trump administration policies.
Others see it as a necessary step to hold judges accountable and maintain public trust in an impartial court system.
Bottom Line: The Justice Department under Pam Bondi is going after a powerful federal judge who challenged Trump’s immigration crackdown. With potential impeachment on the table and a key deportation case hanging in the balance, this legal drama could have far-reaching consequences — both inside the courtroom and across the political landscape.
