Judge warns Trump administration of contempt over refugee deportations

KATHMANDU: U.S. Federal Judge Jorge Borjorquez has issued a warning that contempt of court proceedings may be initiated against the Trump administration.

This follows the deportation of over 200 refugees to El Salvador in defiance of a court order.

The court had ordered that these individuals be granted protection under constitutional provisions for wartime refugees, allowing them to remain in the U.S.

However, the administration’s actions have faced criticism for violating a 227-year-old historical legal protection.

Judge Borjorquez emphasized that defying court orders is a serious matter, highlighting growing tensions between the Trump administration and the U.S. judiciary.

The White House has yet to formally respond to the issue.

However, White House Communications Director Stephen Chung claimed that the president’s objective is to end terrorism, suggesting that the deportation decisions were made in this context.

Judge Borjorquez has given the administration until April 23 to clarify its decision-making process in court.

If the information is not provided by then, investigations into individuals involved in violating the court order will begin.