A federal judge is giving Department of Justice attorneys an additional 24 hours to answer questions about deportation flights carrying suspected Venezuelan gang members.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg said the answers are due by noon Thursday.
Boasberg on Monday scolded government attorneys, accusing the administration of carrying out deportations in defiance of his temporary order blocking them.
The three flights left the U.S. on Saturday — after President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an obscure wartime law from 1798 that gives the president sweeping powers to deport noncitizens without a hearing before a judge.
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That same day, Boasberg verbally ordered flights that had left to return and he issued a written order stating that no more migrants should be removed under the president's proclamation for at least two weeks.
It's unclear where all the deportees ended up. But on Sunday, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said 238 suspected gang members arrived in his country and were transferred to the "Terrorism Confinement Center," where they will apparently be held for a year.
The federal government has defended its decision to deport the individuals and has refused to answer Boasberg’s specific questions, citing national security.
Boasberg’s questions include how many people were on the flights and whether all were subject to Trump’s proclamation. The judge has said the attorneys may submit the information under seal, but it remains unclear whether the government will comply with Thursday’s deadline.
