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Trump administration debates invoking 'state secrets privilege' around deportation flights

Trump administration debates invoking 'state secrets privilege' around deportation flights
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Trump administration debates invoking 'state secrets privilege' around deportation flights
Top leaders of President Donald Trump's administration are debating whether to invoke a 鈥渟tate secrets privilege鈥� in response to a judge鈥檚 questions about deportation flights carrying Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, a Justice Department official informed the judge on Friday ahead of a hearing.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a court filing that there are 鈥渙ngoing Cabinet-level discussions鈥� about Chief Judge James Boasberg鈥檚 demand for more information. The district judge ordered the Trump administration to either provide more details about the flights or assert a claim that disclosing the information would harm 鈥渟tate secrets.鈥漈he Republican administration has largely resisted the judge鈥檚 request, calling it an 鈥渦nnecessary judicial fishing鈥� expedition. Boasberg dismissed its response as 鈥渨oefully insufficient,鈥� increasing the possibility that he may hold administration officials in contempt of court.Government lawyers filed Blanche's sworn statement hours before the judge was scheduled to hold a hearing for the case on Friday in Washington.The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law. Flights were in the air on March 15 when Boasberg issued an order temporarily barring the deportations and ordered planes to return to the U.S.The Justice Department has said that the judge鈥檚 oral directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed and that it couldn鈥檛 apply to flights that had already left the U.S.Trump and many Republican allies have called for impeaching Boasberg, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. In a rare statement earlier this week, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said 鈥渋mpeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.鈥�

Top leaders of President Donald Trump's administration are debating whether to invoke a 鈥渟tate secrets privilege鈥� in response to a judge鈥檚 questions about deportation flights carrying Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, a Justice Department official informed the judge on Friday ahead of a hearing.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a court filing that there are 鈥渙ngoing Cabinet-level discussions鈥� about Chief Judge James Boasberg鈥檚 demand for more information. The district judge ordered the Trump administration to either provide more details about the flights or assert a claim that disclosing the information would harm 鈥渟tate secrets.鈥�

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The Republican administration has largely resisted the judge鈥檚 request, calling it an 鈥渦nnecessary judicial fishing鈥� expedition. Boasberg dismissed its response as 鈥渨oefully insufficient,鈥� increasing the possibility that he may hold administration officials in contempt of court.

Government lawyers filed Blanche's sworn statement hours before the judge was scheduled to hold a hearing for the case on Friday in Washington.

The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law. Flights were in the air on March 15 when Boasberg issued an order temporarily barring the deportations and ordered planes to return to the U.S.

The Justice Department has said that the judge鈥檚 oral directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed and that it couldn鈥檛 apply to flights that had already left the U.S.

Trump and many Republican allies have called for impeaching Boasberg, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. In a rare statement earlier this week, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said 鈥渋mpeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.鈥�