Washington, D.C. – The Justice Department asserted its state secrets privilege on Monday to withhold information from a federal judge regarding deportation flights subject to legal dispute. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials argued that disclosing the information would endanger national security and diplomatic relations.
The legal battle revolves around a pair of temporary restraining orders issued by US District Judge James Boasberg, blocking President Donald Trump’s utilization of the Alien Enemies Act for rapid deportations. Despite the court’s orders, two deportation flights continued on the evening of March 15, prompting Judge Boasberg to seek details on the incident.
In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed concerns that revealing such information could harm national security and foreign partnerships. Rubio emphasized the potential impact on counterterrorism operations and diplomatic relations if sensitive details were disclosed.
The Justice Department vehemently opposed the judge’s inquiries, asserting that no further information was required to resolve the legal issues at hand. Officials argued that the government had not violated any valid orders and criticized the judge’s ongoing scrutiny into the matter.
Despite Boasberg’s request for specific flight details and deportation timelines, the department maintained that the Executive Branch had acted within its authority. The filing emphasized that additional information was unnecessary, as the court already possessed everything needed to assess compliance with the orders.
As the legal battle over deportation flights intensifies, the dispute underscores the delicate balance between judicial oversight and executive authority. The invocation of the state secrets privilege raises questions about transparency in national security matters and the limits of judicial inquiry into sensitive government operations. Judge Boasberg’s efforts to obtain information may shed light on the complexities of deportation procedures and the legal implications of executive actions in immigration enforcement.